It looked as though it might be a storybook win for Maria Hoefl-Riesch on her home race hill in the Garmisch-Partenkirchen super G on Sunday. The German, who has been on a roll since her gold medal-winning super combined performance in Schladming, executed a beautiful run, light on her skis with an strong line through the technical portions of the course — but Anna Fenninger had to spoil all the fun (at least as far as the German fans are concerned).

The 23-year-old Austrian was nearly a half a second back halfway down the course and her split times were moving in the wrong direction. But Fenninger was able to do something special on the lower, technical part of the run, despite losing grip of her ski pole toward the finish, to deny Hoefl-Riesch the hometown win. It was her second victory of he season — the other came in Semmering in GS — and first of her career in super G.

For a hot minute, it looked as if Julia Mancuso might pick up her first win of the season. The American stayed low and in her bullet for the first half minute of the course, the part of the course that more resembled a downhill, and established a nearly full second advantage over then-leader and Friday’s super G winner Tina Weirather. Mancuso was able to harness her speed through the lower part of the course, the part that more resembled a GS, to set the time to beat.

In the end, Mancuso’s pace was good enough for third and good enough to finish 0.20 seconds faster than Tina Maze, against whom the American will square off in the World Cup Final to determine the 2013 super G title. Maze leads Mancuso 420-365 in the super G standings with a maximum of 100 points up for grabs in the final race.

“I am happy to be on the podium, just trying my best every day,” said Mancuso. “I am enjoying it with the sun out. I wish I could have gained some more points on (Maze), I need all the luck on my side. I need to win the (last) race and then anything can happen.”
 
For Maze, who Saturday became the first ski racer in history to surpass the 2000-point mark set by Hermann Maier, there’s now talk that she could possibly win every globe this season. (The Slovenian trails Mikaela Shiffrin in the slalom standings by 33 points and Lindsey Vonn by 1 point in the downhill standings; she leads all other categories.)

As for the rest of the American squad, which is sadly racing without Alice McKennis who was lost to injury on Saturday, Leanne Smith finished 16th; this weekend’s downhill runner-up Laurenne Ross was 22nd, and Stacey Cook was 25th.

Story by Geoff Mintz
Photos by GEPA

THIS STORY IS BEING UPDATED — MORE TO COME

The SCOOP
by Hank McKee
Women’s World Cup super G, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, March 3, 2013
Equipment
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Fenninger, Head/Head/Head
2 Hoefl-Riesch, Head/Lange/Head
3 Mancuso, Head/Head/Head
4 Maze, Stoeckli/Lange/Atomic
5 Hronek, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
6 Hosp, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
7 Gut, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
8 Weirather, Atomic/Tecnica/Atomic
9 Suter, Stoeckli/Lange/Atomic
10 Rebensburg, Nordic/Nordica/Marker

Women’s World Cup super G, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, March 3, 2013. … It is the 31st race of 43 on the women’s schedule. … The sixth of seven super G’s. … It is the 27th Cup super G to be hosted at Garmisch.

It is the third career World Cup win for Anna Fenninger and her first in super G, though she has finished second in super G four times. … It is her second win of the season gaving also claimed the Semmering GS Dec. 28. … It is the first super G victory of the season for Austria.

It is the 72nd career World Cup podium finish for Maria Hoefl-Riesch. … her 14th in super G. … It is her sixth Cup podium scored at Garmisch, her first in super G giving her podiums in four disciplines at the site. … It is her fifth podium in her last seven races.

It is the 35th career World cup podium for Julia Mancuso. … Her 15th in super G completing a collection of the top podium spots in the discipline at Garmisch (she won in 2012 and was second two days ago). … She has scored in 22 races this season.

It is the 11th score of the season for Leanne Smith. … The 13th score for Laurenne Ross, scoring in each super G. … It is the 12th score of the season for Stacey Cook. … It is the sixth career super G score for Marie-Michele Gagnon. … her third of the season.

Tina Maze (fourth in race) has wrapped up the World Cup overall title and currently leads with a record 2074pts to 1050 for Maria Hoefl-Riesch. … Anna Fenninger is third with 884pts and Julia Mancuso fourth with 803pts. … Lindsey Vonn is fifth at 740pts anf Mikaela Shiffrin eighth with 638pts. … Maze leads the super G standings 420-365 over Mancuso with one race remaining. … Fenninger is third at 304pts and cannot win the title. … Vonn is fourth with 286pts. … Austria leads the women’s Nations Cup 4325-3289 over the US. … Germany is third with 2463 and Canada ninth with 641pts. … Austria takes the lead in the super G standings 954-900 over the US.

Results
Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GER)
FIS World Cup
Ladies’ Super G