Swedish and New Zealand Skiers dominate Super G

Updated: 4:50 p.m. 27/08/2011

Swedish and New Zealand skiers dominated the 100% Pure New Zealand Winter Games Super G race at Mt Hutt today.

Sweden's Daniel Ericsson narrowly beat compatriots Calle Lindh and Doglas Hedin in the Men's Super G by a margin of less than two tenths of a second with a time of 58.3 seconds. Lindh came second clocking 58.48 seconds and Hedin third in 58.52 seconds. New Zealand's Tim Café was first home for the Kiwis securing fifth place with 59.08 seconds, closely following Japan's Ryo Sugai who managed 58.65 seconds. The men's race saw competitors from Sweden, Japan, New Zealand, the USA, Switzerland and Korea taking on the single run in perfect wind-less conditions at Mt Hutt.

In the Women's Super G, New Zealand's Taylor Rapley set the pace first-up with an impressive 1.02.77 followed by team-mate Lucie Tait-Jamieson clocking 1.02.95. While Norway's Rikke Gasmann-Brott came close with 1.03.08, the remaining 16 competitors were unable to match these times. The race attracted 19 competitors, including 11 New Zealanders. Other competitors came from Ireland, Norway, Australia, Great Britain, the USA and Korea.

Winter Games Alpine ski manager Wayne Cafe says it was particularly pleasing to see New Zealanders take the podium with Rapley's gold medal and Tait Jamieson's silver. "It was also good to see our Kiwi men finish high up."

Queenstown-born Rapley, a New Zealand team member, says she was excited to win after poor performances earlier in the season.

Ericsson says he skied "ok". "It was not bad. I was feeling from my skiing that I could have gone better." But he had nothing but praise for Mt Hutt and the Super G organisation. "It is marvellous here. With the sun and good snow, it is near perfect conditions."

Team-mate Lindh says while he was disappointed to come second, it was still good to be placed next to Ericsson.

"I didn't know what to expect from the race but I'm very happy. There was just one tenth of a second between Daniel and I, but it is fun to be on the podium."

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