Canadian downhill sensation Thomsen 2nd in Sochi World Cup
SOCHI, RUS (Feb. 11, 2012) – Canada’s new downhill sensation Ben Thomsen proved he’s the real deal Saturday as a second-place finish at the test event for the Sochi 2014 Olympics gave the 24-year-old his first career World Cup podium.
The native of Invermere, B.C. – who has taken the alpine skiing world by storm with a red-hotstreak of results – produced a blazing run down the icy and bumpy track in Rosa Khutor to confirm his status as one of the World Cup circuit’s rising stars.
Starting 27th, the five-foot-seven dynamo crossed the line in a time of two minutes, 14.37 seconds to become the newest member of the Canadian Cowboys – a title bestowed on male Canadian alpine skiers who earn top three results in World Cup, world championship or Olympic races.
Thomsen’s gutsy, determined run extended the Canadian team’s streak of podiums at consecutive men’s World Cup downhill venues to three. His teammates Erik Guay, of Mont-Tremblant, Que., and Jan Hudec, of Calgary, Alta., finished 20th and 24th, respectively.
“It’s a little bit overwhelming right now. It’s awesome,” said Thomsen, who has career-best results in three straight downhills after finishing 11th and then fifth at consecutive races in Chamonix, France, last weekend.
“When I crossed the finish line nobody raised their hands so I thought, ‘Oh no, I must have had a bad run.’ But then I saw my name come up. I’m still in shock.”
Thomsen, who has a reputation for thriving on difficult courses, seemed to relish battling his way down a course that was rock-hard and gnarly, with tight turns at the top and huge jumps.
“It was really icy at the top. Some of the iciest conditions I’ve seen,” Thomsen said. “You could grab your hockey skates and go right down with the puck.” READ MORE ALPINE CANADA NEWS