Alpine Ski Racing: Marcel Hirscher the favourite with Aksel-Lund Svindal injured

PREVIEW

With the first Downhill races of the year coming up this weekend, the Alpine skiing season is ready to really kick-off.

After the official World Cup opening in Sölden, Austria, last October and the first slalom race in Levi, Finland, earlier this month, the men and women have jumped on the plane to Canada and America.

The men will take on the hills of Lake Louise, Canada, whereas the women will battle their way around the gates in Aspen, Colorado. In the men's, Austria’s Marcel Hirscher has been labelled as the main overall World Cup title candidate again.

America’s Ted Ligety will be the biggest challenger for the Giant Slalom title this year. Ligety has secured three consecutive titles in Sölden in the past four years but saw himself disappointingly taking 10 place in this year’s race.

Norwegian Downhill specialist Aksel-Lund Svindal is still recovering from an Achilles injury. Svindal teared his achilles a week before the World Cup opening after a game of football. The 31-year-old said on his Facebook page he was "playing around with a ball" after a training session when he "felt something snap". The skier has undergone surgery but is not expected to make an appearance this year.

"S*** happens," he wrote. "And that's exactly what's happened this time… A real injury and extremely bad timing just as the season is about to start. But now that it's happened there's not much I can do. Now it's all about looking ahead. Nobody can say 100% sure how long the recovery will take, but I'm ready for the weeks coming up.”

The five-time World champion was, alongside Ligety, expected to be one of the main contesters for the Overall World Cup title this year.

In the women’s, Lindsey Vonn is set to make her long awaited return onto the racing circuit. Vonn suffered a severe crash at the 2013 World-cup in Schladming, Austria which saw her missing out on last year’s Sochi Winter Olympics.

Vonn has always been the undisputed World champion but must take on the battle with 19-year-old teammate Mikhaela Shiffrin who is of the main title contenders this year. The youngster won gold in the slalom discipline at the Winter Olympics last year and took the title in Sölden at the start of this season.

Despite the retirement of multiple World Champions German racer Maria Höfl-Riesch and American Bode Miller at the end of last year, the season is expected to become a thriller again.

Saturday 29 November

Down Hill Men – Lake Louise 6.30pm GMT

Giant Slalom Ladies – Aspen, Co 5pm

Sunday 30 November

Super G MEN – Lake Louise, 6pm

Slalom Ladies – Aspen, Co, 5pm