Cortina: Austrians sweep giant slalom podium, Vonn tenth
Three Austrian women topped the World Cup podium at a giant slalom today under a well-appreciated sunny sky and on top of soft snow in Cortina, Italy. The Austrian force was led by Kathrin Zettel, with the fifth GS victory of her career. Teammates Michaela Kirchgasser and Elisabeth Goergl finished second and third, respectively. Goergl was on pace to win after taking the first run, but nearly crashed rounding the final gate of the day.
Three Austrian women topped the World Cup podium at a giant slalom today under a well-appreciated sunny sky in Cortina, Italy. The Austrian force was led by Kathrin Zettel, with the fifth GS victory of her career. Teammates Michaela Kirchgasser and Elisabeth Goergl finished second and third, respectively. Goergl was on pace to win after taking the first run, but nearly crashed rounding the final gate of the day, quickly recovering and securing the third spot.
Slovenian Tina Maze just missed the podium in fourth place. Maze won the tour’s last GS at home in Maribor Jan. 10. She now stands in third place in the GS points race and sixth overall.
World Cup leader, American Lindsey Vonn, had a strong showing in her weakest event, finishing tenth after taking fifth in the first run.
“She skied the top and the bottom parts really well but there was one little spot where there was no room for error because it was right before a flat section, and it was just speed that she lost and couldn’t make up,” said U.S. women’s coach Jim Tracy.
Giant slalom is the only World Cup discipline in which Vonn has never had a top-three finish. Her career best GS result came earlier this year in Aspen with a fourth-place finish. Today’s result strengthens her overall campaign, putting 72 points between her and runner-up German Maria Riesch, who wasn’t able to keep it between the lines and did not finish her first run. Zettel now has the fourth spot in the overall standings and is leading in GS.
“I’m happy to keep the points lead and to extend on it. Giant slalom is my weakest event,” Vonn said. “Super G is one of my strongest events and I can go for the win. I definitely expect to be on the podium and I’ll be shooting for it. Hopefully the course holds up well and I can put down a good run.”
Also scoring points for the U.S. was Julia Mancuso in 24th. While 19-year-old Canadian Marie-Michele Gagnon saw the first World Cup points of her career with a ninth place finish.
American racers Stacey Cook, Megan McJames and Sarah Schleper did not qualify for a second run. “This is the toughest, longest GS hill for the girls,” said Tracy. “The girls that have been here the whole time doing the speed events are on the tired side, and it took its toll on a few of them.”
More than two feet of new snowfall early in the week threatened all competition and eventually forced officials to axe the first of two scheduled downhills. Today’s giant slalom was the only race to remain in its original spot on the calendar.
Today was the last day of qualifications for next month’s World Championships in Val d’Isere, France.
The women are back in action again tomorrow in Cortina with a super G. Watch it live on universalsports.com at 3:50 AM ET.
“We are going for a win tomorrow that’s for sure,” Tracy said “We’re certainly not here for second.”
In the meantime, check out Zettel’s winning run on our home page.
The SCOOP
By Hank McKee
Equipment
Women’s giant slalom, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Jan. 25, 2009
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Zettel, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
2 Kirchgasser, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
3 Goergl, Head/Head/Head
4 Maze, Stoeckli/Lange/Rossignol
5 Barioz, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
6 Poutiainen, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker
7 Rebensburg, Nordica/Nordica/Marker
7 Pietilae Holmner, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
9 Gagnon, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
10 Vonn (Kildow), Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
Women’s giant slalom, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Jan. 25, 2009. … It is the 19th race of the women’s 36 race 2009 World Cup schedule. … It is the sixth of eight scheduled GS’s. … It is the 77th World Cup race held at Cortina. … The 16th GS, the last 13 of them women’s. … Each winner of the last five GS’s has represented a different country.
It is the fifth career World Cup win for Kathrin Zettel. … All in GS. … It is her first career win not produced before January 1st. … It is her third win this season having previously won Oct. 25 at Soelden and Dec. 28 at Semmering. … It is her sixth Cup podium of the season and 12th top five.
It is the sixth career World Cup podium for Michaela Kirchgasser and fifth in GS. … It is her first podium of the season and sixth top 10.
It is the 19th career World Cup podium for Elisabeth Goergl and 11th in GS. … It is her second podium of the season having also placed third at Aspen in GS Nov. 29. … It is the first three place Austrian sweep of the season.
Marie-Michelle Gagnon earns her first World Cup points with a ninth place result. … They are the first Canadian GS points for a woman since Genevieve Simard was ninth at Zwiesel in 2007. …It is the eighth World Cup to 10 in GS for Lindsey Vonn. … She has scored in 13 Cup GS races. … five of them this season. … It is the second scoring result of the season for Simard, the other a 15th at Semmering also in GS. … It is the 12th scoring result of the season for Julia Mancuso and second of the weekend. … It is her fifth score of the season in GS.
Vonn maintains the lead of the World Cup overall standings 882-810 for Maria Riesch (1st run DNF). … Anja Paerson (18th in race) is third at 775. … Zettel leads the GS standings 369-368 over Tanja Poutiainen (sixth in race). … Tina Maze (fourth in race) is third at 218 and Goergl fourth at 217. … Vonn is the top American on the GS standing list in 10th with 173pts.
| Rank | Bib | FIS Code | Name | Year | Nation | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total Time | FIS Points |
| 1 | 5 | 55838 | ZETTEL Kathrin | 1986 | AUT | 1:19.47 | 1:27.63 | 2:47.10 | 0.00 |
| 2 | 11 | 55759 | KIRCHGASSER Michaela | 1985 | AUT | 1:20.18 | 1:28.31 | 2:48.49 | 7.32 |
| 3 | 3 | 55576 | GOERGL Elisabeth | 1981 | AUT | 1:19.09 | 1:29.72 | 2:48.81 | 9.01 |
| 4 | 15 | 565243 | MAZE Tina | 1983 | SLO | 1:20.70 | 1:28.39 | 2:49.09 | 10.48 |
| 5 | 31 | 196725 | BARIOZ Taina | 1988 | FRA | 1:21.86 | 1:27.38 | 2:49.24 | 11.27 |
| 6 | 7 | 185140 | POUTIAINEN Tanja | 1980 | FIN | 1:21.14 | 1:28.17 | 2:49.31 | 11.64 |
| 7 | 24 | 205218 | REBENSBURG Viktoria | 1989 | GER | 1:21.73 | 1:27.61 | 2:49.34 | 11.80 |
| 7 | 2 | 505760 | PIETILAE-HOLMNER Maria | 1986 | SWE | 1:20.66 | 1:28.68 | 2:49.34 | 11.80 |
| 9 | 43 | 105269 | GAGNON Marie-Michele | 1989 | CAN | 1:22.46 | 1:27.51 | 2:49.97 | 15.11 |
| 10 | 10 | 537544 | VONN Lindsey | 1984 | USA | 1:20.55 | 1:29.44 | 2:49.99 | 15.22 |
| 11 | 16 | 195671 | JACQUEMOD Ingrid | 1978 | FRA | 1:21.75 | 1:28.33 | 2:50.08 | 15.69 |
| 12 | 46 | 196851 | BERTRAND Olivia | 1989 | FRA | 1:23.21 | 1:27.09 | 2:50.30 | 16.85 |
| 13 | 22 | 55898 | BREM Eva-Maria | 1988 | AUT | 1:22.22 | 1:28.13 | 2:50.35 | 17.12 |
| 14 | 26 | 505632 | LINDELL-VIKARBY Jessica | 1984 | SWE | 1:22.16 | 1:28.22 | 2:50.38 | 17.27 |
| 15 | 29 | 225206 | ALCOTT Chemmy | 1982 | GBR | 1:22.29 | 1:28.30 | 2:50.59 | 18.38 |
| 16 | 38 | 106056 | SIMARD Genevieve | 1980 | CAN | 1:22.78 | 1:27.86 | 2:50.64 | 18.64 |
| 17 | 36 | 55818 | KOEHLE Stefanie | 1986 | AUT | 1:22.90 | 1:27.91 | 2:50.81 | 19.54 |
| 18 | 8 | 505483 | PAERSON Anja | 1981 | SWE | 1:20.44 | 1:30.78 | 2:51.22 | 21.70 |
| 19 | 9 | 295435 | GIUS Nicole | 1980 | ITA | 1:21.65 | 1:29.89 | 2:51.54 | 23.38 |
| 20 | 25 | 295342 | PUTZER Karen | 1978 | ITA | 1:23.26 | 1:28.60 | 2:51.86 | 25.07 |
| 21 | 21 | 565315 | ROBNIK Mateja | 1987 | SLO | 1:23.20 | 1:28.74 | 2:51.94 | 25.49 |
| 22 | 35 | 515849 | DETTLING Andrea | 1987 | SUI | 1:22.88 | 1:29.12 | 2:52.00 | 25.80 |
| 23 | 13 | 196928 | WORLEY Tessa | 1989 | FRA | 1:23.15 | 1:29.08 | 2:52.23 | 27.02 |
| 24 | 12 | 537545 | MANCUSO Julia | 1984 | USA | 1:22.61 | 1:29.65 | 2:52.26 | 27.17 |
| 25 | 4 | 295445 | KARBON Denise | 1980 | ITA | 1:20.57 | 1:31.73 | 2:52.30 | 27.38 |
| 26 | 34 | 55947 | FENNINGER Anna | 1989 | AUT | 1:22.98 | 1:29.37 | 2:52.35 | 27.65 |
| 27 | 37 | 565268 | DREV Ana | 1985 | SLO | 1:23.11 | 1:29.30 | 2:52.41 | 27.96 |
| 28 | 1 | 205993 | HOELZL Kathrin | 1984 | GER | 1:21.04 | 1:32.35 | 2:53.39 | 33.13 |
| 29 | 32 | 515766 | SUTER Fabienne | 1985 | SUI | 1:21.40 | 1:34.06 | 2:55.46 | 44.03 |
Did not finish 1st run :
MORLANS Leyre (SPA), KRIZOVA Klara (CZE), LALIVE Caroline (USA), KELLEHER Keely (USA), ALFIERI Camilla (ITA), RIESCH Maria (GER), GUT Lara (SUI)
Did not finish 2nd run :
MOELGG Manuela (ITA)
Disqualified 1st run :
CHMELAR Fanny (GER), ZAHROBSKA Sarka (CZE)
Did not qualify 1st run :
SIMARI BIRKNER Macarena (ARG), SIMARI BIRKNER Maria Belen (ARG), RUIZ CASTILLO Carolina (SPA), FLEISS Nika (CRO), MARSAGLIA Francesca (ITA), MARCHAND-ARVIER Marie (FRA), JELUSIC Ana (CRO), KLING Kajsa (SWE), CURTONI Irene (ITA), WIRTH Barbara (GER), LOLOVIC Jelena (SRB), HANSDOTTER Frida (SWE), COOK Stacey (USA), BERGER Silvia (AUT), MADER Regina (AUT), AUFDENBLATTEN Fraenzi (SUI), GIANESINI Giulia (ITA), BRODNIK Vanja (SLO), LOESETH Lene (NOR), BORSSEN Therese (SWE), FERK Marusa (SLO), SCHLEPER Sarah (USA), FANCHINI Nadia (ITA), MCJAMES Megan (USA), BONJOUR Aline (SUI), SMEDH Veronica (SWE), BERTRAND Marion (FRA)
About the Author: Pete Rugh
