Gisin takes final downhill training in Lake Louise, Cook leads strong U.S. effort in fourth

Dec 02, 2010

Switzerland’s Dominique Gisin was the fastest woman down the hill today (Dec. 2), on the third and final day of downhill training in Lake Louise, Candada ahead of Friday and Saturday’s downhill doubleheader. This weekend’s races mark the beginning of 2011 Women’s World Cup Speed season.

German Maria Riesch was second fastest today, 0.46 seconds off the leading pace. The World Cup overall and downhill runner-up last season, spent more training time on the downhill over the summer in an effort to close the gap in the overall race with three-time reigning overall and downhill champ Lindsey Vonn of the U.S (fifth today, 0.81 behind).

Italy’s Elena Fanchini ranked third with a time of 1:30.38.

The U.S. Team got a pleasant surprise from Stacey Cook, who recorded the day’s fourth-fastest time. The Mammoth, Calif. native was 0.68 seconds off the leading pace. The eight-year U.S. Ski Team veteran‘s best World Cup downhill result came on the same hill in 2006 with a fourth-place finish.   

All eyes and bets will be on Vonn over the next three days. If the three-time overall champion and seven-time Lake Louise World Cup downhill winner has any secrets on this course, she has kept them from her rivals during the three training runs this week. She finished seventh on day one and 19th yesterday. In last season’s three training runs here, the Vail, Colo. native never finished lower than eighth and led on one of the days.     

After taking the second-fastest time in the first training and the fastest time yesterday, Julia Mancuso was ninth today. Four more American women packed the top-30 today as Laurenne Ross (12th), Leanne Smith (15th), Alice Mckennis (21st) and Chelsea Marshall (26th) put the finishing touches on their race tactics.
    
Great Briton’s Chemmy Alcott, who has been training with the Canadian team this season, crashed after coming over a jump and was airlifted off of the piste. Race Chairman John Cassels briefed media after the training run, indicating Alcott suffered a suspected broken tibia in her right leg and was taken to hospital in Banff for further medical evaluation.

Tomorrow’s race begins at 12:30 local time. The first super G of the season will be held on the same hill on Sunday.

OFFICIAL RESULTS – THIRD TRAINING

Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Total Time
 1  25  515747 GISIN Dominique  1985  SUI   1:29.73
 2  18  206001 RIESCH Maria  1984  GER   1:30.19
 3  30  296472 FANCHINI Elena  1985  ITA   1:30.38
 4  29  537582 COOK Stacey  1984  USA   1:30.41
 5  19  515806 KAMER Nadja  1986  SUI   1:30.43
 6  17  505483 PAERSON Anja  1981  SWE   1:30.48
 7  15  537544 VONN Lindsey  1984  USA   1:30.54
 8  28  55947 FENNINGER Anna  1989  AUT   1:30.63
 9  21  537545 MANCUSO Julia  1984  USA   1:30.64
 10  3  296427 SCHNARF Johanna  1984  ITA   1:30.71
 11  23  55576 GOERGL Elisabeth  1981  AUT   1:30.86
 12  41  538573 ROSS Laurenne  1988  USA   1:30.95
 13  24  565243 MAZE Tina  1983  SLO   1:30.96
 14  11  195983 ROLLAND Marion  1982  FRA   1:31.04
 15  33  538305 SMITH Leanne  1987  USA   1:31.12
 16  14  55750 FISCHBACHER Andrea  1985  AUT   1:31.16
 17  13  196460 MARCHAND-ARVIER Marie  1985  FRA   1:31.44
 18  32  505886 KLING Kajsa  1988  SWE   1:31.46
 19  48  297702 MARSAGLIA Francesca  1990  ITA   1:31.50
 20  22  515766 SUTER Fabienne  1985  SUI   1:31.53
 21  2  538685 MCKENNIS Alice  1989  USA   1:31.72
 22  38  565320 FERK Marusa  1988  SLO   1:31.79
 23  26  515782 ABDERHALDEN Marianne  1986  SUI   1:31.82
 24  12  296008 MERIGHETTI Daniela  1981  ITA   1:31.84
 25  20  195671 JACQUEMOD Ingrid  1978  FRA   1:31.89
 26  27  538038 MARSHALL Chelsea  1986  USA   1:31.95
 26  4  515560 SCHILD Martina  1981  SUI   1:31.95
 28  6  515573 AUFDENBLATTEN Fraenzi  1981  SUI   1:32.08
 28  1  55766 MADER Regina  1985  AUT   1:32.08
 30  42  505632 LINDELL-VIKARBY Jessica  1984  SWE   1:32.09
 30  36  296431 STUFFER Verena  1984  ITA   1:32.09
 32  34  55978 VOGLREITER Mariella  1989  AUT   1:32.10
 33  46  55970 SCHMIDHOFER Nicole  1989  AUT   1:32.15
 34  40  55882 STAUDINGER Christina  1987  AUT   1:32.17
 35  55  297910 CURTONI Elena  1991  ITA   1:32.22
 36  47  55913 MOSER Stefanie  1988  AUT   1:32.35
 37  5  206175 STECHERT Gina  1987  GER   1:32.36
 38  45  196968 BAILET Margot  1990  FRA   1:32.42
 39  52  495318 RUIZ CASTILLO Carolina  1981  SPA   1:32.43
 40  8  196573 REVILLET Aurelie  1986  FRA   1:32.46
 41  9  295533 RECCHIA Lucia  1980  ITA   1:32.47
 42  37  197006 GAUTHIER Marine  1990  FRA   1:32.53
 43  35  515692 GRAND Rabea  1984  SUI   1:32.63
 44  51  55806 ALTACHER Margret  1986  AUT   1:32.75
 45  16  516138 GUT Lara  1991  SUI   1:32.84
 46  43  515849 DETTLING Andrea  1987  SUI   1:32.91
 47  31  296623 MAZZOTTI Lucia  1985  ITA   1:32.94
 48  39  196812 PELLISSIER Marion  1988  FRA   1:33.04
 49  7  205218 REBENSBURG Viktoria  1989  GER   1:33.13
 50  10  106022 JANYK Britt  1980  CAN   1:33.18
 51  44  206323 STIEPEL Isabelle  1990  GER   1:33.58
 52  56  105920 SIMMERLING Georgia  1989  CAN   1:33.61
 53  57  538855 FORD Julia  1990  USA   1:34.06
 54  54  155563 KRIZOVA Klara  1989  CZE   1:34.19
 55  60  106988 STEVENS Victoria  1990  CAN   1:34.41
 56  53  105334 MCBROOM Kelly  1989  CAN   1:35.46
 57  61  106942 IRWIN Stephanie  1990  CAN   1:35.75
 58  62  565369 KOBAL Ana  1991  SLO   1:36.15
 59  58  225308 THORBURN Pamela  1986  GBR   1:38.60
Did not start 1st run
   59  205168 DUERR Katharina  1989  GER   
   49  425880 SEJERSTED Lotte Smiseth  1991  NOR   
Did not finish 1st run
   50  225206 ALCOTT Chemmy  1982  GBR   

About the Author: Eric Williams

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