Moltzan sixth in Junior World Champs giant slalom

By Published On: February 27th, 2014Comments Off on Moltzan sixth in Junior World Champs giant slalom
Paula Moltzan in Jasna, Slovakia (GEPA/Martin Hoermandinger)

Paula Moltzan in Jasna, Slovakia (GEPA/Martin Hoermandinger)

The weather was far from ideal, but it was a veteran field for the women’s FIS Junior World Championship giant slalom Thursday (Feb. 27) in Jasna, Slovakia. Of the top-10 finishers, nine had previous World Junior title meet experience. In fact, the bulk of the top 30 had previously competed at the event in previous years.

So a little weather was water off the back, literally.

“It was an interesting start to the day,” said Paula Moltzan, the top North American finisher on the day in sixth. “We woke up it was foggy. We got up to the hill and it was raining so it wasn’t ideal.”

The Italian dream team of Marta Bassino and Karoline Pichler finished on the top two steps of the podium, followed by Austrian Rosina Schneeberger in third.

“The first set was 25 meters with good rhythm all the way down. The start for the second run was moved down because of weather,” added Moltzan. “It was super windy and foggy, but the set was pretty open, which is not really my go-to, but it worked out. It was a level playing field because everyone was skiing in horrible weather.”

“I am extremely happy to have brought down the two fastest runs of the day!” exclaimed Bassino, on the day of her 18th birthday. “When I was in the lead after the first run, I was quite nervous because I didn’t know if I could make it to gold. But it went really well and already feels great to be Junior World Champion, now just minutes after the race. My teammate Karoline scored silver which makes us even happier and shows that the Italian team is in great shape!”

All of these athletes were familiar with one another, or at least familiar with their results from the previous season. A year ago, in Quebec, the U.S. Ski Team’s Moltzan finished 44th in the GS. She was not on the radar as a medal contender, at least not the same way 2013 bronze medal winner Romane Miradoli was, or fourth-place finisher Adeline Baud or fifth finisher Maryna Gasienca-Daniel from one year earlier. But Moltzan beat all of those more heavily favored foes this time around. This year’s gold medalist, Bassino, finished sixth in the downhill a season ago, and her teammate Pichler is competing in her fourth Junior World Championship. Schneeberger is a three-season veteran of the junior meet and had placed fifth in the Austrian national championship slalom.

Elisabeth Kappaurer was fourth, bettering the 11th the Austrian tallied a season ago in the same event and Swiss Jasmina Suter moved up one placing from sixth a season ago to fifth. In stark contrast, Moltzan jumped 36 places.

Canadian Candace Crawford showed progress from 31st a season ago to finish seventh, while her teammate Mikaela Tommy was 17th.

The first men’s downhill training run scheduled for today had to run form a lowered start due to the thick fog.

See more photos from this race in our gallery here

 

RESULTS

Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Run 1 Run 2 Total Time Diff. FIS Points
 1  6  299276 BASSINO Marta 1996 ITA  1:02.43  50.43  1:52.86  6.00
 2  15  298694 PICHLER Karoline 1994 ITA  1:02.74  50.39  1:53.13  +0.27  8.13
 3  2  56241 SCHNEEBERGER Rosina 1994 AUT  1:03.39  51.20  1:54.59  +1.73  19.64
 4  20  56199 KAPPAURER Elisabeth 1994 AUT  1:04.18  50.70  1:54.88  +2.02  21.93
 5  9  516394 SUTER Jasmina 1995 SUI  1:03.46  51.81  1:55.27  +2.41  25.00
 6  13  539909 MOLTZAN Paula 1994 USA  1:04.42  51.02  1:55.44  +2.58  26.35
 7  16  107387 CRAWFORD Candace 1994 CAN  1:04.40  51.14  1:55.54  +2.68  27.13
 8  5  506664 FJAELLSTROEM Magdalena 1995 SWE  1:04.24  51.41  1:55.65  +2.79  28.00
 9  22  516268 WILD Simone 1993 SUI  1:04.48  51.50  1:55.98  +3.12  30.60
 10  37  206520 DORSCH Patrizia 1994 GER  1:05.93  50.06  1:55.99  +3.13  30.68
 11  1  197497 MIRADOLI Romane 1994 FRA  1:04.48  51.52  1:56.00  +3.14  30.76
 12  4  516319 SUTER Corinne 1994 SUI  1:04.68  51.33  1:56.01  +3.15  30.84
 13  30  506555 BLOMQVIST Lisa 1994 SWE  1:04.81  51.34  1:56.15  +3.29  31.94
 14  39  705423 VLHOVA Petra 1995 SVK  1:05.41  50.75  1:56.16  +3.30  32.02
 15  10  307120 ARAI Makiko 1993 JPN  1:05.28  50.92  1:56.20  +3.34  32.34
 15  3  307493 ANDO Asa 1996 JPN  1:05.89  50.31  1:56.20  +3.34  32.34
 17  8  107532 TOMMY Mikaela 1995 CAN  1:03.80  52.47  1:56.27  +3.41  32.89
 18  32  299383 MELESI Roberta 1996 ITA  1:05.86  50.54  1:56.40  +3.54  33.92
 19  41  425981 SKJOELD Maren 1993 NOR  1:05.44  51.03  1:56.47  +3.61  34.47
 20  27  516344 KOPP Rahel 1994 SUI  1:05.87  50.64  1:56.51  +3.65  34.78
 21  23  435334 GASIENICA-DANIEL Maryna 1994 POL  1:05.47  51.28  1:56.75  +3.89  36.68
 22  28  225518 GUEST Charlotte 1993 GBR  1:05.48  51.43  1:56.91  +4.05  37.94
 23  17  405138 JELINKOVA Adriana 1995 NED  1:05.94  51.08  1:57.02  +4.16  38.81
 24  24  506583 SAEFVENBERG Charlotta 1994 SWE  1:05.45  51.69  1:57.14  +4.28  39.75
 25  12  206548 MAGG Ann Katrin 1994 GER  1:05.87  51.44  1:57.31  +4.45  41.09
 26  45  426153 NORBYE Tuva 1996 NOR  1:06.22  51.17  1:57.39  +4.53  41.72
 27  38  516284 GISIN Michelle 1993 SUI  1:05.84  51.57  1:57.41  +4.55  41.88
 28  52  435313 MAJERCZYK Sabina 1993 POL  1:05.89  51.53  1:57.42  +4.56  41.96
 29  46  506421 WESTMAN Hanna 1993 SWE  1:06.98  51.45  1:58.43  +5.57  49.92
 30  25  56200 NICOLUSSI Kerstin 1994 AUT  1:06.92  53.13  2:00.05  +7.19  62.70
 31  57  485926 KRYUKOVA Kristina 1997 RUS  1:07.57  52.92  2:00.49  +7.63  66.17
 32  47  426092 CHRISTENSEN Nora Grieg 1995 NOR  1:08.02  54.00  2:02.02  +9.16  78.23
 33  80  185383 AHONEN Saana 1994 FIN  1:09.32  53.51  2:02.83  +9.97  84.62
 34  34  307255 ISHIKAWA Haruna 1994 JPN  1:08.06  55.33  2:03.39  +10.53  89.04
 35  67  485802 TKACHENKO Ekaterina 1995 RUS  1:09.58  53.84  2:03.42  +10.56  89.27
 36  53  35156 BANCORA Salome 1993 ARG  1:09.29  54.90  2:04.19  +11.33  95.35
 37  63  255367 VILHJALMSDOTTIR Helga Maria 1995 ISL  1:10.03  54.62  2:04.65  +11.79  98.97
 38  81  107556 MCCARTHY Jocelyn 1996 CAN  1:10.40  54.99  2:05.39  +12.53  104.81
 39  95  255373 JOHANNSDOTTIR Thelma Rut 1995 ISL  1:10.13  55.34  2:05.47  +12.61  105.44
 40  87  155698 RUDOLFOVA Veronika 1993 CZE  1:10.64  55.50  2:06.14  +13.28  110.72
 41  82  95126 POPOVA Aleksandra 1996 BUL  1:10.72  55.93  2:06.65  +13.79  114.75
 42  94  705424 MIKLOSOVA Katarina 1995 SVK  1:11.47  55.65  2:07.12  +14.26  118.45
 43  78  485799 ALEXEEVA Nadezda 1995 RUS  1:10.97  56.18  2:07.15  +14.29  118.69
 44  85  155790 CAMKOVA Veronika 1996 CZE  1:10.93  56.44  2:07.37  +14.51  120.42
 45  77  155727 CAPOVA Gabriela 1993 CZE  1:11.08  56.79  2:07.87  +15.01  124.37
 46  88  705415 SOBEKOVA Simona 1994 SVK  1:12.45  55.53  2:07.98  +15.12  125.23
 47  91  435371 WASEK Katarzyna 1996 POL  1:12.54  55.97  2:08.51  +15.65  129.41
 48  103  695108 KNYSH Olha 1995 UKR  1:13.38  57.37  2:10.75  +17.89  147.08
 49  90  705402 TRAJCIKOVA Eva 1993 SVK  1:15.38  57.10  2:12.48  +19.62  160.72
 50  106  465092 CIOCANEL Raluca Georgiana 1996 ROU  1:15.84  59.32  2:15.16  +22.30  181.86
 51  107  245070 CSIMA Laura 1997 HUN  1:19.81  1:03.75  2:23.56  +30.70  248.10
 52  104  605004 GASPAR Veronica 1995 ISV  1:22.33  1:03.91  2:26.24  +33.38  269.23
 53  111  345095 NASSAR Lea 1995 LIB  1:25.80  1:07.55  2:33.35  +40.49  325.30
 54  110  345098 KEIROUZ Celine 1995 LIB  1:28.71  1:08.32  2:37.03  +44.17  354.32
 55  109  135010 ONG CHENG Jung 1997 TPE  1:33.68  1:10.22  2:43.90  +51.04  408.50
 56  113  625024 DEVI Varsha 1995 IND  1:44.60  1:18.37  3:02.97  +1:10.11  558.88
Disqualified 2nd run
 36  56206 KOECK Hannah 1994 AUT
 33  6535086 GIBSON Libby 1994 USA
Disqualified 1st run
 50  298868 NOGLER KOSTNER Tatiana 1994 ITA
Did not start 2nd run
 76  35177 SIMARI BIRKNER Angelica 1994 ARG
 58  385092 KOMSIC Andrea 1996 CRO
Did not start 1st run
 54  206536 WALLNER Marina 1994 GER
Did not finish 2nd run
 105  555037 GASUNA Evelina 1997 LAT
 83  35202 RONCALLO Manuela 1996 ARG
 72  107583 REMME Roni 1996 CAN
 65  565453 KOPSE Desiree 1996 SLO
 64  355056 FRICK Joana 1993 LIE
 62  485807 OVCHINIKOVA Daria 1995 RUS
 48  426100 HOLTMANN Mina Fuerst 1995 NOR
 42  539678 PETERSON Foreste 1993 USA
 21  516283 ELLENBERGER Andrea 1993 SUI
 18  485731 ROMANOVA Anastasia 1993 RUS
 14  155699 PAULATHOVA Katerina 1993 CZE
Did not finish 1st run
 108  235292 SAMARINOU Maria 1996 GRE
 102  695110 BELOBORODOVA Rada-oleksandra 1996 UKR
 101  65108 NELLES Mathilde 1997 BEL
 100  255352 ASGEIRSDOTTIR Erla 1994 ISL
 99  185427 ANDERSSON Camilla 1997 FIN
 98  435373 KOLASA Anna 1996 POL
 97  705431 PRIELOZNA Laura 1996 SVK
 96  115173 MONTESINOS Macarena 1995 CHI
 93  255357 EINARSDOTTIR Freydis Halla 1994 ISL
 92  715167 MERDANOVIC Sejla 1997 BIH
 89  695101 TIKUN Tetyana 1994 UKR
 86  225612 MEAD Darcie 1996 GBR
 84  115143 VYHMEISTER Stefanie 1993 CHI
 79  385071 SOLA Matilda 1994 CRO
 75  155740 STRAKOVA Bara 1994 CZE
 74  185357 VIRKKULA Sohvi 1993 FIN
 73  185354 HIRVONEN Roosa 1993 FIN
 71  565393 KOSI Mihaela 1993 SLO
 70  415205 HUDSON Piera 1996 NZL
 69  506762 KARLSSON Hildur 1996 SWE
 68  385069 MISAK Iva 1993 CRO
 66  385093 TRSINSKI Sasa 1996 CRO
 61  299466 DELAGO Nicole 1996 ITA
 60  565401 BUCIK Ana 1993 SLO
 59  107613 GRENIER Valerie 1996 CAN
 56  539927 LAPANJA Lila 1994 USA
 55  539932 IRWIN Katharine 1994 USA
 51  197812 GERACI Romane 1997 FRA
 49  565428 BREZOVNIK Sasa 1995 SLO
 44  197407 WILLMANN Alison 1993 FRA
 43  206532 SCHMOTZ Marlene 1994 GER
 40  506557 GRASSL Paulina 1994 SWE
 35  206487 WIESLER Maren 1993 GER
 31  565417 PLUT Eli 1994 SLO
 29  298642 GIARDINI Ida 1993 ITA
 26  56159 REISS Lisa-Maria 1993 AUT
 19  197616 ALPHAND Estelle 1995 FRA
 11  197651 DIREZ Clara 1995 FRA
 7  56217 BRUNNER Stephanie 1994 AUT

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About the Author: Hank McKee

In memoriam: The veteran of the staff, McKee started with Ski Racing in 1980. Over the seasons, he covered virtually every aspect of the sport, from the pro tours to junior racing, freestyle and World Cup alpine competition. He wrote the first national stories for many U.S. team stars, and was still around to report on their retirements. “Longevity has its rewards,” he said, “but it’s a slow process.”