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There was disappointment for Jack Gower in the men’s Super-G today in Yangqing, when he joined a long list of DNFs.
The 27-year-old was the only Team Ireland athlete in action in the morning session of day four of the Games and had been targeting a top-20 finish in the event.
Afterwards, a dejected Gower spoke about the disappointment of not finishing due to going through a panel halfway down the course: “It’s hard to put in words today.
“This is my event and the event I was performing well in and had high hopes for. I’m pretty disappointed right now, pretty deflated, and that’s the way it goes. Super-G is challenging and technical.”
The Super-G is a speed event, held on the same course as Monday’s Downhill event. The event combines the speed of the Downhill but includes technical turns similar to the Giant Slalom.
The spacing between the gates allows the speed to build, but with a total vertical drop of 645m over a distance of 2267m contributing to the speed also.
The list of 13 DNFs on the challenging course included Monday’s Olympic Champion in Downhill, Beat Feuz (Switzerland). Gower described the fine balance between taking risks, pushing to the limit, and staying upright in the speed events.
“In the speed events there’s always some back and forth on the mental side. You’ve got to prepare yourself to take every risk you can and put all the other thoughts of injury and everything outside your head. It’s always a mental challenge in these two events, the speed events, when injuries are so prevalent. It’s a constant battle on that side, but that goes with the ground.”
Gower will now switch his focus to the next event on his schedule, the Alpine Combined which takes place on the February 10th. This is an event where the athlete competes in both Downhill and Slalom, with the final ranking being the combined total from both runs.
Later this evening, Irish Luger Elsa Desmond is back on the track, competing in Run Three of the Women’s Singles.
Results: Alpine Skiing - Men’s Super-G
Gold Matthias Mayer (AUT) 1:19.94
Silver Ryan Cochran-Siegle (USA) 1:19.98 (+0.04)
Bronze Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (NOR) 1:20.36 (+0.42)
DNF - Jack Gower (IRL)