Red Bull dropped the ball and the 2019 World Championship races are STILL not watchable on their page/app. 1 month later.
So I finally skipped over it and watched the final races of the World Cup season, which was 1 week later. (World Championship/World Cup are separate honors. Championships is a one-off race event. Cup is a season long circuit, with multiple races).
Kate Courtney did it. She won the overall for cross country. First American to win the World Cup overall Women’s title, in 17 years. She’s only 23. If she can find a way to squeeze in more altitude training, she could be unstoppable in the coming years. Altitude races were her only weak spots in the season. *She just said in an interview, that she’s locked in for the 2020 Olympics.
Swedish rider Yolanda Neff was in first place overall, at the start of the final race. Having a series of 2nd place finishes, nearly all season. But there were only like 30 points between them. Yolanda ended up bonking and dropped back after the first couple of laps. Finishing in 11th and taking 2nd overall. She’s also locked in for the Olympics.
Australian Tracy Hannah took the overall title for Women’s Downhill. She had her best season ever. At 31, considered an older rider. completed a lot of milestones this season. Very happy for her. She has one of the best personalities on the mountain.
However, French rider Marine Cabirou also carved out her own show in downhill, taking first place 3 times in a row, for the last 3 races of the season. Including the final race. She’s only 22 years old. Big things ahead of her.
And my fave Women’s Downhill rider, English rider Tahnee Seagrave, had been out for a separated shoulder. However, it must have been a very minor separation, as she only missed I think 2 races (that’s about 2 months recovery time). And came back for the World championship race, taking 2nd! She seemed to take it a bit easier 1 week later, at World Cup finals. but still snagged 4th place.
French rider Myriam Nicole came back after being out all season for a delicate back injury: And won the World Championship event. Being out all season,she of course was not running in the points for the overall positions in world cup. But, she did take second place in the final world cup race. Seems she didn’t lose an ounce of her skills or fitness!
Still gotta watch the men’s stuff.