Schild wins World Champs slalom to close women’s events

Gschafft.

That’s Bavarian slang for: that’s all folks.

Women’s competition at the 2011 World Championships in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany concluded today (Feb. 19) as Austrian Marlies Schild grabbed the last snowflake-shaped gold medal in the slalom. She will be knows as madam world champion for the next two years.

Schild’s win capped an amazing performance by the Austrian women at these World Championships as the women in red took four of five gold medals up for grabs (Elizabeth Goergl super G, downhill; Anna Fenninger super combined). Only Tina Maze (fourth today) of Slovenia was able to ruin the sweep with the giant slalom crown.

“It’s an amazing feeling I skied for so many years on the World Cup and made some really good medals, but not the gold medal and everyone expected I could do it today and I hoped that I could,” said Schild, who will turn 30 this year. “Today is my biggest dream came true and that’s a little bit crazy for me at the moment.”

Breaking a recent trend, Schild, in bib No. 1, led the way in both runs. She took a 0.21 second advantage into the second run then sealed her first career world title with a 0.34 second lead on silver medalist and teammate Kathrin Zettel. “I wanted to have gold, so I said just go for it and if you don’t finish or something, that’s life,” said Schild.

Austrians stacked the deck going into the second run with four racers in the top seven and coach Gunter Obkircher setting the course.

Sweden’s Maria Pietilae-Holmner was 0.65 seconds back to claim the bronze medal. 

Schild was right at home at the top of the podium today. With five World Cup victories this season, she currently leads the World Cup slalom standings with a 40-point lead over her nearest rival. She has won every slalom she has finished since December of 2009, a string that includes eight wins.

Though this season has been a dream for Schild, she has paid her dues and been patient in waiting for the gold. She broke her leg at the beginning of the 2009 season but bounced back the following year with three World Cup wins. A three-time Olympic medalist (two silver and one bronze) and four-time Worlds podium finisher (two bronze and two silver), she had yet to taste gold before today. 

“Today was difficult I was nervous, today was the day,” said Schild whose boyfriend and Austrian teammate Benjamin Raich badly injured his knee in Wednesday’s team event. “The first run was good, solid, I didn’t make any big mistakes and that was important, it gave me the right feeling, the right attitude.”

Zettel had to overcome some injury demons of her own to grab her second career World Championship medal (2009 combined gold). She has battled pain in her left knee and hip since breaking the leg in 2007.

“At first I was just so happy, and the more people that came to congratulate me the more I remember everything that went before, all those bad moments when I thought I should quit,” said Zettel, who gave credit to the team’s coaching staff. “We have reached a degree of harmony but the thanks goes to the coaches and all who support us. The support team did its best and it paid off.”

It was Pietilae-Holmner’s second World Championships medal after taking silver in the GS in 2007 at age 19.

“I think this is my best season so far,” said Pietilae-Holmner  , who earned her career first World Cup win this season in Aspen. “Aspen was really big for me. People were asking questions as I was one of the favorites and that’s a new situation.”

“I think I’m getting closer,” said Pietilae-Holmner when asked if she considered herself a top-tier competitor. “My first medal I think came very early. Now, I think I am good that I think I can take this medal.”

The cold temperatures and overcast skies of the past few days were gone and back were was the sun that illuminated the early speed races as fans packed the Gudiberg arena. It was a colorful day on the slalom track as 111 starters from 46 nations came from all over the globe. That math translated into 36 first run DNfs but a lot of smiles from the proud representatives of countries like Armenia, Peru and Greece.

Defending title holder, German Maria Riesch was on pace for a third medal (two bronze in downhill and super G) at her hometown championships until a mid-course bobble cost her some precious speed and pushed her off the podium in fourth, 1.34 seconds off the pace despite the encouragement of 11,00 local fans in attendance.

It was a heart breaker for Finn Anja Poutiainen, who stood second after the first run and was up by a couple tenths of a second heading into the final stretch of the course when she she lost her balance and a lot of speed to finish sixth.

The U.S. got an early out day. Birthday girl Sarah Schleper, 32, led the way into the second run in 13th, 2.24 seconds out but hooked a gate in the middle of the course, throwing her backward off the course and through a Milka sign as course workers scrambled out of the way. Resi Stiegler would take the top American result in 19th, 3.68 seconds back. Megan McJames got some work done in the second run, going from 36th to 29th.

“As hard as I am on myself I have to be really happy,” said Stiegler, who returned to racing this season after three years of injuries. “My goal wasn’t to make World Championships, it was just to finish the season. My race before this in Zwiesel I was top 15 in the first run so I feel like those were accomplishments that I didn’t expect. I haven’t raced in three years and making it through the season is probably the most important thing for me. This is just a really good step for starting out next season.”

Julia Mancuso had a rocky first run. After missing a gate early on, she hiked up for several seconds only to fall later in the run.

Canadian Erin Mielzynski was the top North American in 16th at her first World Championships. Teammate Anna Goodman followed in 21st. “I’m a little bit disappointed with my first run but my second run was amazing,” said Mielzynski, whose best World Cup result was a 13th place finish in slalom in Zwiesel two weeks ago. “I wish I could have had a better result but it’s my second-best result at this level. It’s definitely a stepping stone to where I want to be in the future.”

The men will close the championships entirely tomorrow back on the Gudiburg slope in the slalom.

Images by Gepa.

The SCOOP

Women’s World Championship Giant Slalom, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Feb. 19, 2011
Equipment
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Schild, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
2 Zettel, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
3 Pietilae-Holmner, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
4 Riesch, Head/Lange/Head
5 Maze, Stoeckli/Lange/Atomic
6 Poutiainen, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
6 Moelgg, Rossignol/Lange/Rossignol
8 Hansdotter, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
9 Noens, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
10 Zuzulova, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

Women’s World Championship Giant Slalom, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Feb. 19, 2011. … It is the 10th of 11 scheduled events and the fifth of five races for women. … It is the 63rd World Championship slalom.

It is the fifth career World Championship medal for Marlies Schild, but her first gold medal. … She has previously win silver in slalom at St Moritz (2003) and Are (2007) and bronze in combined at Santa Caterina (2005) and Are. … She also has three Olympic medals, two silver (combined 2006 and slalom 2010) and a bronze (slalom 2006). … It is her sixth win of the season, all of them in sl
alom.

It is the third career World Championship medal for Kathrin Zettel, the others a gold in combined at Val d’Isere 2009 and a silver in team competition in 2005. … She has finished fourth twice in Olympic competition without gaining a medal. … It is her second podium result of the season having also placed third in GS at Arber-Zwiesel just prior to the beginning of the championships.

It is the second career World Championship medal for Maria Pietilae-Holmner, the other a silver GS at Are (2007). … She was fourth in slalom at Whistler in her last Olympic appearance. … It is her third podium result of the season, the other two a win in slalom at Aspen Nov. 28, and in the Munich city event Jan. 2.

It was the first World Championship result for Erin Mielzynski. … Her best result of the season was 13th in slalom at Arber-Zwiesel. … It is the third time Resi Stiegler has finished 19th in a World Championship slalom (2003, 2009 and 2011). … That is one placing better than her father (Pepi) placed in his lone World Championship slalom result at Chamonix in 1962 (though he did win two Olympic medals). … It is her best result of the season. … It is the fourth World Championship results for Anna Goodman, her second best in slalom. … It is the best career World Championship result for Megan McJames.

Medal Count
Austria     8 (4gold, 3silver, 1bronze)
Italy 5 (1gold, 2silver, 2bronze)
USA 3 (1gold, 2silver
France 3 (1gold, 1silver, 1bronze)
Slovenia 1 (1gold, 1silver)
Canada 1 (1gold)
Norway 1 (1gold)
Switzerland 1 (1silver)
Germany 2 (2bronze)
Sweden 2 (2bronze)
Croatia 1 (1bronze)