World Cup Alpine Ski Racing - Sölden, Austria

This Saturday, October 24, marks the start of the 2010 Audi Alpine FIS Ski World Cup racing season as the women contest a Giant Slalom high above Sölden, Austria on the Rettenbach Glacier where the men will also race a GS on Sunday. This is the first of the World Cup races leading up to the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic alpine races at Whistler/Blackcomb Resort.

The Sölden glacier course usually starts above 3000m (9842') to ensure good snow conditions although a hard icy surface defines it better. In recent years Sölden has become the traditional kick-off race and only in 2006 were the conditions deemed unacceptable by FIS officials and the races cancelled. This year the FIS gave the formal green light last week and all preparations were on.

Last year at Sölden, Daniel Albrecht of Switzerland won the Men's GS followed by fellow countryman Didier Cuche and Ted Ligety of the U.S. in third. For the Women Austrian Kathrin Zettel took the gold, Tanja Poutiainen of Finland, silver and another Austrian, Andrea Fischbacher was the bronze medal winner.

Some things to keep in mind going into this season opener are Lara Gut of Switzerland (5th in 09) and Peter Fill of Italy are out for injury, Hermann Maier, Austrian hero and 3 time winner here, has retired. Lindsey Vonn of the U.S. will be racing on Head skis, Bode Miller, back with the U.S. Team will not be ready to race here.

An interesting fact about the Sölden Giant Slalom races on the Rettenbach Glacier is that the first ever three racer Deat Heat in Alpine race history happened here in 2002. In the Women's GS, Andrine Flemmen of Norway, Austrian Nicle Hosp and Tina Maze of Slovenia all clocked an identical 2 run combined time  - to the hundredths of a second - of 1 minute 49.91 seconds. Amazing!

Here's an analysis of the top 15 order of the 2009 season Sölden Giant  Slalom races and a summary review of the all the 2009 Men's GS races and the 2009 Women's GS Races. Also, Universal Sports TV will show the races at 10 a.m. ET Saturday and Sunday and same day coverage is on UniversalSports.com.   Live timing will be available Saturday and Sunday at www.fis-ski.com starting at 3:45 a.m. ET followed by the second run at 7:45 a.m. ET.

Have look at the recently named racers the U.S. Ski Team has in the starting lineup for this weekend at Sölden, which will include Resi Stiegler,  Jessica Kelley, and Warner Nickerson among others.

Photo  Kathrin Zettel  copyright Getty Images