LaMolina: Riesch crushes slalom field, Vonn second
Maria Riesch’s slalom skills have been vastly underrated.
The German alpine star collected her first Cup slalom win in four plus years, at LaMolina, Spain Sunday and did so in impressive fashion. Riesch, the first run leader by more than a second, added to the margin in the second heat to win by 1.48 seconds.
American Lindsey Vonn, fourth after the first run, notched the second fastest second run and moved up to finish second, securing her place in the season’s slalom hierarchy as well, and regaining the lead in the overall standings. Had Vonn not finished, Riesch’s margin would have been among the three largest of all time for a women’s slalom.
Maria Riesch’s slalom skills have been vastly underrated.
The German alpine star collected her first Cup slalom win in four plus years, at LaMolina, Spain Sunday and did so in impressive fashion. Riesch, the first run leader by more than a second, added to the margin in the second heat to win by 1.48 seconds.
American Lindsey Vonn, fourth after the first run, notched the second fastest second run and moved up to finish second, securing her place in the season’s slalom hierarchy as well and regaining the lead of the overall standings. Had Vonn not finished, Riesch’s margin would have been among the three largest of all time for a women’s slalom.
Kathrin Zettel held on for third place, 2.36 seconds off of Riesch’s time of 1:52.98.
Vonn will hold on to the red leaders bib she gained by winning the first slalom of the season at Levi a month ago.
It was the first slalom win for Riesch since taking a win in Levi in Feb. 29, 2004.
Although two other U.S. women made the cut for the second run (Julia Mancuso and Sarah Schleper) both failed to ski well in the finals and finished more than six seconds off the pace.
Canadian Nor-Am star Anna Goodman finished 21st, 4.55 seconds back.
Riesch said the conditions were more difficult for the later starters in the second run, and said she just focused on skiing clean and make as few mistakes as possible. “I might have had some slight problems at the start,” she told AP, “but you don’t never not make mistakes. I just kept it together.”
She said she had felt really good in mid-week training and was determined to carry that feeling through to the race. “But,” she added, “I didn’t expect to do so well and win.”
For Vonn the third straight slalom at or near the top of the results list seemed to mark a turning point. “I’m so comfortable on my skis right now in slalom and I’ve been really consistent,” she told AP. “I showed I’m definitely a slalom skier and I’m going to be in there competing every day. Little things like that help to get me fired up and prove everybody wrong.”
The race marked the third time this season Riesch and Vonn have stood on the same World Cup podium.
The SCOOP
By Hank McKee
Women’s Slalom, La Molina, Spain, Dec. 14, 2008
1 Riesch, Head/Lange/Tyrolia
2 Vonn, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
3 Zettel, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
4 Zahrobska, Head/Head/Tyrolia
5 Paerson, Head/Head/Head
6 Poutiainen, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker
7 Aubert, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
8 Gius, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
9 Hosp, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker
10 Loeseth, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker
Women’s Slalom, LaMolina, Spain, Dec. 14, 2008. … It is the eighth race of the women’s 36 race 2008-09 World Cup schedule. … It is the third of nine scheduled women’s slaloms. … It is the second World Cup held at LaMolina, the first a GS yesterday. … The women travel next to St Moritz for a three event stop.
It is the seventh career World Cup win for Maria Riesch and her second in slalom, the other coming at Levi Feb. 29, 2004. … It is her third podium of the season, the other two third place results, one in slalom at Levi and in downhill at Lake Louise Dec. 5. … She has scored in all eight races contested thus far this season. … It is the first win of the season for Germany. … And the first is slalom since Alois Vogl won at Wengen Jan. 16, 2005. … She is the first German to win more than one slalom since Martina Ertl won her second March 1, 1998.
It is the 34th career World Cup podium for Lindsey Vonn. … Her second in slalom after the win in this season’s opener. … She has scored in seven of eight races with no placing worse than ninth. … She owns two firsts, a second and two fourth place results already this season.
It is the 17th career World Cup podium for Kathrin Zettel and her tenth third place finish. … It is her eighth career Cup slalom podium without a win. … She had four results (all in GS or SL) this season, all of them fifth or better.
It is the sixth career World Cup scoring result for Anna Goodman. … Her third of the young season. … All three coming in slalom. … It is her best finish (21) of the season. … Her only better finish came in a night slalom at Zagreb last February. … It is the third scoring result of the season for Sarah Schleper – all in slalom – the second time she has finished 25th this season. … It is the fifth score of the season for Julia Mancuso. … Her first score in slalom since finishing 24th at Maribor Jan. 13, 2008.
Vonn regains the lead of the overall standings 438-400 over Tanja Poutiainen (sixth in race). … Riesch moves up to third at 328 with Zettel fourth at 250. … Vonn maintains the slalom standings lead 230-200 over Riesch with Sarka Zahrobska (fourth in race) third at 179.
| Rank | Bib | FIS Code | Name | Year | Nation | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total Time | FIS Points |
| 1 | 7 | 206001 | RIESCH Maria | 1984 | GER | 53.81 | 59.17 | 1:52.98 | 0.00 |
| 2 | 9 | 537544 | VONN Lindsey | 1984 | USA | 55.09 | 59.37 | 1:54.46 | 7.86 |
| 3 | 11 | 55838 | ZETTEL Kathrin | 1986 | AUT | 54.70 | 1:00.64 | 1:55.34 | 12.53 |
| 4 | 3 | 155415 | ZAHROBSKA Sarka | 1985 | CZE | 55.15 | 1:00.38 | 1:55.53 | 13.54 |
| 5 | 15 | 505483 | PAERSON Anja | 1981 | SWE | 55.05 | 1:00.59 | 1:55.64 | 14.13 |
| 6 | 5 | 185140 | POUTIAINEN Tanja | 1980 | FIN | 55.44 | 1:00.23 | 1:55.67 | 14.29 |
| 7 | 20 | 195972 | AUBERT Sandrine | 1982 | FRA | 55.75 | 1:00.00 | 1:55.75 | 14.71 |
| 8 | 24 | 295435 | GIUS Nicole | 1980 | ITA | 55.82 | 1:00.09 | 1:55.91 | 15.56 |
| 9 | 6 | 55690 | HOSP Nicole | 1983 | AUT | 56.69 | 59.51 | 1:56.20 | 17.10 |
| 10 | 10 | 425771 | LOESETH Nina | 1989 | NOR | 55.74 | 1:00.57 | 1:56.31 | 17.68 |
| 11 | 4 | 505610 | BORSSEN Therese | 1984 | SWE | 55.92 | 1:00.44 | 1:56.36 | 17.95 |
| 12 | 12 | 296259 | MOELGG Manuela | 1983 | ITA | 55.81 | 1:00.59 | 1:56.40 | 18.16 |
| 13 | 8 | 385032 | JELUSIC Ana | 1986 | CRO | 55.76 | 1:01.07 | 1:56.83 | 20.45 |
| 14 | 13 | 55759 | KIRCHGASSER Michaela | 1985 | AUT | 55.40 | 1:01.55 | 1:56.95 | 21.08 |
| 15 | 21 | 505679 | HANSDOTTER Frida | 1985 | SWE | 57.00 | 1:00.19 | 1:57.19 | 22.36 |
| 16 | 22 | 385027 | FLEISS Nika | 1984 | CRO | 56.15 | 1:01.14 | 1:57.29 | 22.89 |
| 17 | 2 | 705287 | ZUZULOVA Veronika | 1984 | SVK | 56.32 | 1:01.01 | 1:57.33 | 23.10 |
| 18 | 35 | 296509 | CURTONI Irene | 1985 | ITA | 56.47 | 1:00.95 | 1:57.42 | 23.58 |
| 19 | 18 | 205636 | BERGMANN Monika | 1978 | GER | 55.39 | 1:02.08 | 1:57.47 | 23.84 |
| 20 | 48 | 55947 | FENNINGER Anna | 1989 | AUT | 56.78 | 1:00.74 | 1:57.52 | 24.11 |
| 21 | 32 | 106633 | GOODMAN Anna | 1986 | CAN | 56.03 | 1:01.50 | 1:57.53 | 24.16 |
| 22 | 23 | 206035 | CHMELAR Fanny | 1985 | GER | 56.26 | 1:01.81 | 1:58.07 | 27.03 |
| 23 | 19 | 515619 | GINI Sandra | 1982 | SUI | 56.00 | 1:02.13 | 1:58.13 | 27.35 |
| 24 | 25 | 355040 | NIGG Marina | 1984 | LIE | 57.52 | 1:01.45 | 1:58.97 | 31.81 |
| 25 | 34 | 536481 | SCHLEPER Sarah | 1979 | USA | 57.02 | 1:02.22 | 1:59.24 | 33.24 |
| 26 | 16 | 537545 | MANCUSO Julia | 1984 | USA | 56.70 | 1:02.62 | 1:59.32 | 33.67 |
| 27 | 30 | 565320 | FERK Marusa | 1988 | SLO | 55.70 | 1:05.75 | 2:01.45 | 44.98 |
Did not start 1st run: GUT Lara (SUI), KARBON Denise (ITA)
Did not finish 1st run: ZAKOURILOVA Petra (CZE), GASIENICA DANIEL Agnieszka (POL), ROMAR Tii-Maria (FIN), BERTRAND Marion (FRA), LEINONEN Sanni (FIN), FERNSEBNER Carolin (GER), CERESA Annalisa (ITA), GRANT Sterling (USA), STRENG Simone (AUT), SCHILD Bernadette (AUT), RUBENS Shona (CAN), BLIENINGER Anja (GER), SMEDH Veronica (SWE), RIESCH Susanne (GER), HOELZL Kathrin (GER)
Did not finish 2nd run: LOESETH Lene (NOR), TRIENDL Katrin (AUT), BONJOUR Aline (SUI)
Disqualified 1st run: SCHNARF Johanna (ITA), BARTHET Anne-Sophie (FRA), MUELLER Anne Marie (NOR)
Did not qualify 1st run: CLEMENTE Mireia (SPA), GUTIERREZ Mireia (AND), BREM Eva-Maria (AUT), LINDELL-VIKARBY Jessica (SWE), GAGNON Marie-Michele (CAN), KLUS Aleksandra (POL), ACTON Brigitte (CAN), LOLOVIC Jelena (SRB), DAUM Alexandra (AUT), ROBNIK Mateja (SLO), BRODNIK Vanja (SLO), PERNER Nina (GER), FEIERABEND Denise (SUI), MAIR Marianne (GER), NOENS Nastasia (FRA), KARASINSKA Katarzyna (POL), DUERR Katharina (GER), GRAND Rabea (SUI), DUKE Hailey (USA), DE LEYMARIE Florine (FRA), DAUTHERIVES Claire (FRA), PIETILAE-HOLMNER Maria (SWE)
About the Author: Pete Rugh
