Kirchgasser wins Kranjska Gora slalom, Schild’s streak ends

By Published On: January 22nd, 2012Comments Off on Kirchgasser wins Kranjska Gora slalom, Schild’s streak ends

Michaela KirchgasserMarlies Schild’s five-slalom winning streak came to an end today (Jan. 22) in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia but the Austrian team was still able to celebrate a win, this time coming from first-time slalom winner Michaela Kirchgasser.

Kirchgasser was the fastest woman in both runs to capture her first World Cup victory in five years since taking a GS in Sierra Nevada, Spain in 2007. Today’s result marked only Kirchgasser’s second career World Cup slalom podium after taking her first three weeks ago with a third-place finish in Zagreb.

“It was pretty rough, I had to fight from the beginning but I never give up and it’s wonderful,” said Kirchgasser, who has landed in the top-10 of all of this season’s first five slalom races. “This season [my slalom] is pretty good, I love this victory.”

Two more veterans of the World Cup joined Kirchgasser on the podium as Finn Tanja Poutiainen earned her second podium of the season in second, 0.65 seconds behind.  It was her 46th career Cup podium.

“I’m more than just happy. I wanted to win today, but Michaela was unbeatable, so I’m glad to be in 2nd place,” said Poutiainen. “Thanks to the spectators, it was wonderful competing in such an auditorium. Cheering can be heard up to the start.”

Slovakia’s Veronika Zuzulova completed the podium in third with her first podium of the season, 1.34 seconds off the winning pace. Zuzulova matched her result the last time the World Cup women stopped in Kranjska Gora in 2007.

Schild, winner of the first five slaloms of the season as well as the last women’s slalom to be held here, proved she is not perfect after all missing a gate near the top of the first run course. “It’s a challenging course so you have to be happy when you do your best,” said a still smiling Schild, who joined 25 other woman on the first run DNF list. Defending overall champion, German Maria Hoefel-Riesch missed the same gate.

Lindsey VonnLocal favorite, Slovenian Tina Maze (fourth after the first run) received a boisterous welcome in the finish area after being the first woman in 13 starters to top Austrian Kathrin Zettel’s leading second run time. The celebration was short lived, however, as each of the following three woman claimed the podium spots, pushing Maze to fourth on the day.

Lindsey Vonn led the American’s in both runs, standing eighth after the first run, and looked very strong at the top of the second run course but she lost time in the middle flats of the course to finish seventh. It was her best result in a World Cup slalom since November of 2010, she has not reached a slalom podium or win since 2009.

“I had an okay first run, it was a solid performance,” said Vonn. “I definitely lost a bit of time at the bottom – similar to yesterday. But I’m happy with my performance. I attacked from the start which is what I wanted to do.”

Vonn maintains a strong lead in the overall standings with a 282-point advantage on Maze in second. Schild stands third, 422 points behind Vonn.

American teammate Julia Mancuso, who skipped the last slalom in Zabreb, Croatia, stood 19th after the first run and held on to earn World Cup points in 22nd. It was her first slalom finish since last March and only her third finish in a World Cup slalom in three years.

Young American standout Mikaela Shiffrin missed her shot at the top 30-woman second run by 0.44 seconds in 32rd place after the first run. Hailey Duke also failed to qualify for the second run in the 44th position. Resi Steigler was one of the long list to not finish the first run. 

Erin Mielzinsky was the only Canadian to finish the first run and went on to claim 18th place for her third-best World Cup finish ever.

The SCOOP
By Hank McKee

Women’s World Cup slalom, Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Jan. 22, 2012
Equipment

Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Kirchgasser, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
2 Poutiainen, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
3 Zuzulova, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
4 Maze, Stoeckli/Lange/Atomic
5 Zettel, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
6 Hosp, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
7 Vonn, Head/Head/Head
8 Geiger, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
9 Noens, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
10 Curtoni, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol

Women’s World Cup Slalom, Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Jan. 22, 2012. … It is the 18th of 40 races on the women’s 2012 World Cup schedule. … the sixth of 10 scheduled slaloms. … The race was originally scheduled at Maribor and moved due to a lack of snow. … It is the 74th Cup race hosted at Kranjska Gora. … the 38th slalom but sixth women’s slalom. … women had not raced at the site since 2007.

It is the second career World Cup win for Michaela Kirchgasser and first in slalom. … Her previous win was in GS at Sierra Nevada Feb. 24, 2007. … It is her second podium of the season having placed third at Zagreb in slalom Jan. 3.

It is the 46th career World Cup podium result for Tanja Poutiainen. … the 26th in slalom. … It is her second podium at Kranjska Gora, the first a third place result in GS Jan. 6, 2007. … It is her second podium of the season having also finished second in slalom at Courchevel Dec. 18.

It is the 11th career World Cup podium result for Veronika Zuzulova. … all in slalom. … It is her first podium of the season, the next best result a sixth at Aspen in November. … It is her second podium at Kranjska Gora having also placed third in the slalom Jan. 7, 2007.

North Americans: Lindsey Vonn matches her 11th best career Cup slalom result. … It is her best slalom result of the season and best since Nov. 13, 2010 at Levi (6th). … It is the fourth best career Cup result for Erin Mielzynski of seven total all in slalom. … It is her third best of four scoring results this season. … Julia Mancuso matches her 22nd best Cup slalom result. … and scores for the 13th time this season.

Standings: Vonn maintains her lead of the World Cup overall standings 970-688 over Tina Maze (fourth in race). … Marlies Schild (DNF 1st) is third with 548pts. … Mancuso is seventh with 422pts. … Marie-Michele Gagnon (DNF 1st) is top Canadian in 42nd with 91pts. … Schild continues to lead the slalom standings 500-337 for Maze. … Kirchgasser jumps to third with 305pts. … top American is Vonn in 13th with 110pts. … Mielzynski is top Canadian in 20th with 71pts. … Austria leads the women’s Nations Cup 3028-1825 over the US. … Gemany is third with 1410. … Canada 11th with 209pts.

Image by Gepa

Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Run 1 Run 2 Total Time FIS Points
 1  3  55759 KIRCHGASSER Michaela  1985  AUT   52.94  54.31  1:47.25  0.00
 2  1  185140 POUTIAINEN Tanja  1980  FIN   53.21  54.69  1:47.90  3.70
 3  6  705287 ZUZULOVA Veronika  1984  SVK   53.05  55.54  1:48.59  7.62
 4  7  565243 MAZE Tina  1983  SLO   53.36  55.55  1:48.91  9.44
 5  5  55838 ZETTEL Kathrin  1986  AUT   55.13  54.40  1:49.53  12.97
 6  24  55690 HOSP Nicole  1983  AUT   54.69  55.36  1:50.05  15.93
 7  10  537544 VONN Lindsey  1984  USA   54.18  55.96  1:50.14  16.44
 8  15  206279 GEIGER Christina  1990  GER   54.69  55.51  1:50.20  16.78
 9  12  196806 NOENS Nastasia  1988  FRA   54.67  55.85  1:50.52  18.60
 10  25  296509 CURTONI Irene  1985  ITA   54.95  55.75  1:50.70  19.62
 11  19  206355 DUERR Lena  1991  GER   53.37  57.42  1:50.79  20.13
 12  26  56032 SCHILD Bernadette  1990  AUT   55.90  55.09  1:50.99  21.27
 13  9  505679 HANSDOTTER Frida  1985  SWE   53.40  57.82  1:51.22  22.58
 14  36  196725 BARIOZ Taina  1988  FRA   55.72  55.58  1:51.30  23.03
 15  27  195972 AUBERT Sandrine  1982  FRA   55.46  56.03  1:51.49  24.12
 16  8  155415 ZAHROBSKA Sarka  1985  CZE   54.81  56.80  1:51.61  24.80
 17  21  196726 BARTHET Anne-Sophie  1988  FRA   56.36  55.40  1:51.76  25.65
 18  28  106961 MIELZYNSKI Erin  1990  CAN   55.04  56.82  1:51.86  26.22
 19  38  296354 COSTAZZA Chiara  1984  ITA   55.82  56.61  1:52.43  29.46
 20  32  516280 HOLDENER Wendy  1993  SUI   55.97  56.77  1:52.74  31.23
 21  40  506146 SWENN-LARSSON Anna  1991  SWE   55.67  57.62  1:53.29  34.35
 22  31  537545 MANCUSO Julia  1984  USA   55.65  58.10  1:53.75  36.97
 23  37  305944 KIYOSAWA Emiko  1983  JPN   56.12  57.86  1:53.98  38.28
 24  64  705394 KANTOROVA Barbara  1992  SVK   56.12  57.99  1:54.11  39.02
Did not qualify 1st run
   72  665009 SHKANOVA Maria  1989  BLR         
   69  565325 MIHOVILOVIC Nina-Katarina  1988  SLO         
   68  315187 IGNJATOVIC Nevena  1990  SRB         
   66  537792 DUKE Hailey  1985  USA         
   61  565331 LAVTAR Katarina  1988  SLO         
   57  565323 JAZBEC Katja  1988  SLO         
   56  565398 HAFNER Ula  1993  SLO         
   55  435142 KARASINSKA Katarzyna  1982  POL         
   52  485570 SOROKINA Anna  1990  RUS         
   50  196793 MARMOTTAN Anemone  1988  FRA         
   46  565360 STUHEC Ilka  1990  SLO         
   44  206174 STABER Veronika  1987  GER         
   43  55898 BREM Eva-Maria  1988  AUT         
   39  196803 MOUGEL Laurie  1988  FRA         
   35  355040 NIGG Marina  1984  LIE         
   34  55807 DAUM Alexandra  1986  AUT         
   20  6535237 SHIFFRIN Mikaela  1995  USA         
Did not finish 2nd run
   49  425880 SEJERSTED Lotte Smiseth  1991  NOR         
   30  295435 GIUS Nicole  1980  ITA         
   29  55977 THALMANN Carmen  1989  AUT         
   18  206035 CHMELAR Fanny  1985  GER         
   16  196928 WORLEY Tessa  1989  FRA         
   11  505610 BORSSEN Therese  1984  SWE         
Did not finish 1st run
   73  715123 NOVAKOVIC Zana  1985  BIH         
   71  106825 PREFONTAINE Marie-Pier  1988  CAN         
   70  35089 SIMARI BIRKNER Macarena  1984  ARG         
   67  35079 SIMARI BIRKNER Maria Belen  1982  ARG         
   65  185271 LEINONEN Sanni  1989  FIN         
   63  306249 HASEGAWA Emi  1986  JPN         
   62  516153 OBERSON Marine  1991  SUI         
   60  185317 SOPPELA Merle  1991  FIN         
   59  155479 SMUTNA Michaela  1987  CZE         
   58  506350 EKLUND Nathalie  1992  SWE         
   54  65038 PERSYN Karen  1983  BEL         
   53  516109 VOGEL Nadja  1990  SUI         
   51  505908 SMEDH Veronica  1988  SWE         
   48  196179 BERTRAND Marion  1984  FRA         
   47  107044 IRWIN Madison  1991  CAN         
   45  297601 BRIGNONE Federica  1990  ITA         
   42  537772 STIEGLER Resi  1985  USA         
   41  106633 GOODMAN Anna  1986  CAN         
   33  196016 DAUTHERIVES Claire  1982  FRA         
   23  205168 DUERR Katharina  1989  GER         
   22  515997 FEIERABEND Denise  1989  SUI         
   17  506341 WIKSTROEM Emelie  1992  SWE         
   14  296259 MOELGG Manuela  1983  ITA         
   13  105269 GAGNON Marie-Michele  1989  CAN         
   4  55590 SCHILD Marlies  1981  AUT         
   2  206001 HOEFL-RIESCH Maria  1984  GER         

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About the Author: Eric Williams