Rebensburg takes back-to-back World Cup GS wins in Ofterschwang, Lindsey Vonn second

German Viktoria Rebensburg withstood an amazing second-run attack from World Cup overall leader, American Lindsey Vonn to bag her second giant slalom win in as many days on home snow in Ofterschwang, Germany today (March 3).  

Rebensburg was nearly a second (0.85) ahead of her nearest competitor after the first run. That lead had ballooned up to a 1.68-second advantage on current leader Vonn by the time Rebensburg left the second run start house. The 2010 Olympic GS champion held on to the majority of her lead until she made a pair of untimely mistakes near the bottom of the course but managed to stay between the gates and hold off Vonn in second place with a 0.26-second winning advantage. 

“This is crazy, I couldn’t expect it,” said Rebensburg about collecting her fifth and sixth career wins at home. “Two awesome days. It was pretty close in the second run, I had two mistakes in the last part. It doesn’t matter; I won the race. It is crazy.”

Vonn, who stood sixth (1.68 seconds back) after the first run, harnessed her super G skills with an amazing run on the second course set by a U.S. Ski Team coach. Vonn, who had the fastest second-run time by nearly a second and a half (1.42), screamed with delight in the finish area after a thrilling run that required her full bag of tricks to stay on course and build speed all the way down.

“I’m really proud of the way I skied the second run,” said Vonn. “I went for the most direct line possible and risked a lot and was able to make up a lot of time. I was thinking I could maybe get the win when Viki had trouble on the bottom, but she was just too strong today.”

The result marked Vonn’s second best finish in a World Cup GS and only her third career podium in the discipline. She won the first World Cup GS of her career in October in Soelden, Austrian and currently stands second 135 points behind Rebensburg in the GS rankings with two GS races remaining on this season’s schedule.

Slovenian Tina Maze finished 0.39 seconds behind the winner in third to claim her ninth World Cup podium of the season. Austrian Anna Fenninger missed the podium by one hundredth of a second in fourth place.

It was another sunny day in Bavaria as temperatures reached the low 50s during the second run, softening the course considerably.

American Resi Stiegler scored her first World Cup GS points in more than four years in 22nd place. The Jackson Hole, Wyoming native, who has been often sidelined by a string of injuries over the last four years and mainly focuses on the slalom, skied her way into the 30-woman second run from the 47th start and crossed the second run finish line swinging her poles with joy. 

Julia Mancuso was in seventh position after run No. 1, but misjudged a roller in a shady section of the upper course and jumped passed a gate.

Canadian Marie-Michele Gagnon had a strong day in 14th to notch her second best GS result of the season.

Vonn maintains a strong 494-point lead in the overall standings with a total of 1708 points.

“I have been thinking about the 2,000 point mark since about the St. Moritz races,” said Vonn, whose career high is 1788 points in one season (2009). “I am not focusing too much on it, but it is definitely in the back of my mind. This year the tech races have been going well and now I am second in the giant slalom standings. To me, that is a huge accomplishment.”

The three-race World Cup weekend here concludes Sunday with a women’s slalom.

Image by Gepa

The SCOOP
by Hank McKee

Women’s World Cup giant slalom, Ofterschwang, Germany, March 3, 2012
Equipment
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Rebensburg, Nordica/Nordica/Marker
2 Vonn, Head/Head/Head
3 Maze, Stoeckli/Lange/Atomic
4 Fenninger, Head/Head/Head
5 Poutiainen, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
6 Curtoni, Fischer/Lange/Fischer
7 Lindell-Vikarby, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
8 Goergl, Head/Head/Head
9 Barioz, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
10 Karbon, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer

Women’s World Cup giant slalom, Ofterschwang, Germany, March 3, 2012. … It is the 30th race of the women’s 39 race 2012 World Cup schedule. … The seventh of nine GS’s. … The second of a three race set at Ofterschwang. … bright sun, +9c.

It is the sixth career World Cup win for Viktoria Rebensburg, all in GS. … It is her third win of the season and second in two days after also won the make-up from Courchevel also held at Ofterschwang.

It is the 95th career World Cup podium result for Lindsey Vonn. … her third in GS. … It is her 15th podium of the season. … and second in GS.

It is the 37th career World Cup podium result for Tina Maze. … her 16th in GS. … It is her ninth podium of the season and third of the season in GS. … It is her second podium in two days having finished second March 2.

North Americans: Marie-Michele Gagnon matches her sixth best result of the season. … second best of the season in GS after a seventh at Soldeu-Grandvalira Feb. 12. … It is the fifth best career Cup GS result for Resi Stiegler. … her best since placing 15th at Soelden Oct. 27, 2007.

Standings: with seven races remaining Lindsey Vonn leads the World Cup overall standings 1708-1214 over Tina Maze. … Maria Hoefl-Riesch (DNF 2nd) is third with 1046. … No other skiers can win the overall title. … Julia Mancuso (DNF 2nd) is fifth with 823pts. … Gagnon is top Canadian in 30th with 222pts. … With two races left Viktoria Rebensburg leads the GS standings 490-355 for Vonn. … Tessa Worley (DNQ) is third with 346pts. … Mancuso is 10th with 156pts. … Gagnon 21st with 69pts. … Austria leads the women’s Nations Cup 4861-3237 over the US. … Italy is third with 2431pts. … Canada 11th with 378pts.