Riesch fastest in opening downhill training in Val d’Isere, Vonn second
Picking up right where they left off in Lake Louise two weeks ago, American Lindsey Vonn and German Maria Riesch were again at the top of the results sheet at today’s (Dec. 15) downhill training in Val d’Isere France a head of Saturday’s World Cup downhill.
Reisch, the double downhill winner in Lake Louise, again had the fastest time today (1:53.86), while Vonn was second-best, just less than a second back (1:54.79). On her home turf, France’s Marie Marchand-Arvier was third-fastest with a time of 1:55.34. Vonn is the defending downhill World Champion, a title she won here in Val d’Isere in 2009.
Racers wore face masks or tape to defend against the six degree temperatures on the resort’s O.K. run, which features 43 gates over a 2,845-meter course that has a vertical drop of 750 meters.
Swiss racer, Lara Gut, who is coming back from an injured hip suffered early last season, showed speed with the day’s ninth-fastest time (1:56.03). She won a World championships silver medal in Val d’Isere in 2009.
American Julia Mancuso finished 11th (1:56.16), while teammates Laurenne Ross and Chelsea Marshall tied for 32nd and Leanne Smith finished 35th.
Canadian Britt Janyk led her team in 25th.
There will be another downhill training run tomorrow.
Women’s World Cup racing in Val d’Isere begins Friday with a super G that replaces one canceled last week in St. Moritz due to high winds and snow. The downhill will be held Saturday, Dec. 18 and the season-opening super combined will take place Sunday Dec. 19.
Image: Maria Riesch (Gepa)
OFFICIAL RESULTS – FIRST TRAINING
| Rank | Bib | FIS Code | Name | Year | Nation | Total Time | |
| 1 | 14 | 206001 | RIESCH Maria | 1984 | GER | 1:53.86 | |
| 2 | 15 | 537544 | VONN Lindsey | 1984 | USA | 1:54.79 | |
| 3 | 4 | 196460 | MARCHAND-ARVIER Marie | 1985 | FRA | 1:55.34 | |
| 4 | 12 | 296008 | MERIGHETTI Daniela | 1981 | ITA | 1:55.47 | |
| 5 | 13 | 505483 | PAERSON Anja | 1981 | SWE | 1:55.49 | |
| 6 | 9 | 195671 | JACQUEMOD Ingrid | 1978 | FRA | 1:55.59 | |
| 7 | 7 | 195983 | ROLLAND Marion | 1982 | FRA | 1:55.72 | |
| 8 | 37 | 55766 | MADER Regina | 1985 | AUT | 1:55.89 | |
| 9 | 3 | 516138 | GUT Lara | 1991 | SUI | 1:56.03 | |
| 10 | 27 | 296427 | SCHNARF Johanna | 1984 | ITA | 1:56.06 | |
| 11 | 10 | 537545 | MANCUSO Julia | 1984 | USA | 1:56.16 | |
| 12 | 2 | 196573 | REVILLET Aurelie | 1986 | FRA | 1:56.61 | |
| 13 | 19 | 55750 | FISCHBACHER Andrea | 1985 | AUT | 1:56.67 | |
| 14 | 45 | 55913 | MOSER Stefanie | 1988 | AUT | 1:56.70 | |
| 15 | 11 | 515806 | KAMER Nadja | 1986 | SUI | 1:56.77 | |
| 16 | 50 | 297910 | CURTONI Elena | 1991 | ITA | 1:56.80 | |
| 17 | 36 | 296431 | STUFFER Verena | 1984 | ITA | 1:56.83 | |
| 18 | 6 | 515747 | GISIN Dominique | 1985 | SUI | 1:57.15 | |
| 19 | 62 | 195972 | AUBERT Sandrine | 1982 | FRA | 1:57.26 | |
| 20 | 53 | 515997 | FEIERABEND Denise | 1989 | SUI | 1:57.31 | |
| 21 | 48 | 495318 | RUIZ CASTILLO Carolina | 1981 | SPA | 1:57.37 | |
| 22 | 44 | 55970 | SCHMIDHOFER Nicole | 1989 | AUT | 1:57.53 | |
| 23 | 39 | 196812 | PELLISSIER Marion | 1988 | FRA | 1:57.57 | |
| 24 | 17 | 55947 | FENNINGER Anna | 1989 | AUT | 1:57.59 | |
| 25 | 16 | 106022 | JANYK Britt | 1980 | CAN | 1:57.60 | |
| 26 | 40 | 55882 | STAUDINGER Christina | 1987 | AUT | 1:57.61 | |
| 27 | 5 | 206175 | STECHERT Gina | 1987 | GER | 1:57.66 | |
| 28 | 25 | 515849 | DETTLING Andrea | 1987 | SUI | 1:57.68 | |
| 29 | 47 | 55806 | ALTACHER Margret | 1986 | AUT | 1:57.92 | |
| 30 | 20 | 296472 | FANCHINI Elena | 1985 | ITA | 1:58.09 | |
| 31 | 26 | 515573 | AUFDENBLATTEN Fraenzi | 1981 | SUI | 1:58.14 | |
| 32 | 41 | 538573 | ROSS Laurenne | 1988 | USA | 1:58.18 | |
| 32 | 29 | 538038 | MARSHALL Chelsea | 1986 | USA | 1:58.18 | |
| 34 | 18 | 515766 | SUTER Fabienne | 1985 | SUI | 1:58.31 | |
| 35 | 24 | 538305 | SMITH Leanne | 1987 | USA | 1:58.38 | |
| 36 | 23 | 565243 | MAZE Tina | 1983 | SLO | 1:58.51 | |
| 37 | 46 | 297702 | MARSAGLIA Francesca | 1990 | ITA | 1:58.55 | |
| 38 | 22 | 515782 | ABDERHALDEN Marianne | 1986 | SUI | 1:58.66 | |
| 39 | 21 | 537582 | COOK Stacey | 1984 | USA | 1:58.79 | |
| 40 | 33 | 505886 | KLING Kajsa | 1988 | SWE | 1:58.85 | |
| 41 | 43 | 196968 | BAILET Margot | 1990 | FRA | 1:58.92 | |
| 42 | 32 | 296623 | MAZZOTTI Lucia | 1985 | ITA | 1:58.97 | |
| 42 | 31 | 515560 | SCHILD Martina | 1981 | SUI | 1:58.97 | |
| 44 | 61 | 105269 | GAGNON Marie-Michele | 1989 | CAN | 1:59.08 | |
| 45 | 38 | 197006 | GAUTHIER Marine | 1990 | FRA | 1:59.09 | |
| 46 | 55 | 515855 | GOOD Esther | 1987 | SUI | 1:59.13 | |
| 47 | 42 | 206323 | STIEPEL Isabelle | 1990 | GER | 1:59.54 | |
| 48 | 51 | 516280 | HOLDENER Wendy | 1993 | SUI | 1:59.62 | |
| 49 | 56 | 297601 | BRIGNONE Federica | 1990 | ITA | 1:59.71 | |
| 50 | 35 | 515692 | GRAND Rabea | 1984 | SUI | 1:59.95 | |
| 51 | 34 | 55978 | VOGLREITER Mariella | 1989 | AUT | 2:00.46 | |
| 52 | 58 | 538284 | MCJAMES Megan | 1987 | USA | 2:00.88 | |
| 53 | 57 | 565333 | BRODNIK Vanja | 1989 | SLO | 2:02.62 | |
| 54 | 60 | 35079 | SIMARI BIRKNER Maria Belen | 1982 | ARG | 2:03.55 | |
| 55 | 52 | 205168 | DUERR Katharina | 1989 | GER | 2:03.72 | |
| 56 | 63 | 106825 | PREFONTAINE Marie-Pier | 1988 | CAN | 2:04.09 | |
| 57 | 59 | 35089 | SIMARI BIRKNER Macarena | 1984 | ARG | 2:04.96 | |
| 58 | 54 | 565323 | JAZBEC Katja | 1988 | SLO | 2:05.75 | |
| Did not start 1st run | |||||||
| 49 | 155563 | KRIZOVA Klara | 1989 | CZE | |||
| 30 | 205218 | REBENSBURG Viktoria | 1989 | GER | |||
| 28 | 538685 | MCKENNIS Alice | 1989 | USA | |||
| Did not finish 1st run | |||||||
| 8 | 55576 | GOERGL Elisabeth | 1981 | AUT | |||
| 1 | 565320 | FERK Marusa | 1988 | SLO | |||
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