Goergl tops second day of downhill training in Val d’Isere

Dec 16, 2010

Only two weeks after partially tearing a ligament in her left knee, Austria’s Elisabeth Goergl proved she is back in top form today (Dec. 16), taking the fastest time in the final downhill training ahead of Saturday’s World Cup downhill in Val d’Isere, France.

With a time of 1:51.65, (more than two seconds faster that yesterday’s best by German Maria Riesch) Goergl led a field of 58 women who were obviously getting closer to race speeds, as many women trimmed several seconds off of their previous day’s results.

Goergl partially tore the medial collateral ligament in her left knee on Dec. 4 while performing an acrobatic move to save a near fall during a World Cup downhill in Lake Louise, Canada, where she finished fifth. After eight days of physical therapy she was back on the race hill in St. Moritz,  taking an 11th-place result in a giant slalom.

Slovenia’s Tina Maze had the day’s second-fastest time (1:51.65), knocking six second’s off of her 36th-place result yesterday. Riesch, who has won both of this season’s previous two World Cup downhill races, remained near the top in third (1:52.71).

Yesterday’s haze cleared as the sunny skies that welcomed the men’s World Cup here last week returned, though temperatures remained frigid (around 3 degrees Fahrenheit).

Lindsey Vonn (second fastest yesterday) again led the U.S. in seventh today, 1.56 seconds off the leading pace after having to ski almost the entire course twice. Vonn was flagged off the course near the bottom of her first run as the previous racer, teammate Chelsea Marshall, had crashed. Vonn was taken back to the start by helicopter and Marshall reported no serious injuries. 

“It was definitely a little more bumpy the second time,” Vonn told Fisalpine.com. “I felt I had a better run the first than the second, but it was another chance to get on the hill. For sure my skis weren’t as fast the second time. Unfortunately Chelsea crashed and I was flagged but I heard she’s OK so that’s good. It was basically two full runs for me so my legs are a little tired but I’ll do some recovery and be OK for race day. It was a fun helicopter ride, at least.”

Laurenne Ross, one of the U.S. team’s young up-and-comers, had a great day, landing 10th (1:53.50). Teammates Leanne Smith and Julia Mancuso finished 16th and 27th, respectively.

Canadian Brit Janyk improved on her previous day’s 25th ranking to again lead her team in ninth place with a time of 1:53.46.

World Cup racing in Val d’Isere begins tomorrow with a super G, which replaces one canceled in St. Moritz last week. A downhill race is scheduled for Saturday Dec. 18 and a super combined will follow Sunday Dec. 19.

OFFICIAL RESULTS – SECOND TRAINING

Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Total Time
 1  15  55576 GOERGL Elisabeth  1981  AUT   1:51.65
 2  5  565243 MAZE Tina  1983  SLO   1:52.25
 3  18  206001 RIESCH Maria  1984  GER   1:52.71
 4  36  296431 STUFFER Verena  1984  ITA   1:52.74
 5  11  196460 MARCHAND-ARVIER Marie  1985  FRA   1:52.92
 6  12  55750 FISCHBACHER Andrea  1985  AUT   1:53.15
 7  30  537544 VONN Lindsey  1984  USA   1:53.21
 8  23  516138 GUT Lara  1991  SUI   1:53.31
 9  17  106022 JANYK Britt  1980  CAN   1:53.46
 10  41  538573 ROSS Laurenne  1988  USA   1:53.50
 11  13  296472 FANCHINI Elena  1985  ITA   1:53.70
 12  6  195671 JACQUEMOD Ingrid  1978  FRA   1:53.73
 13  1  296427 SCHNARF Johanna  1984  ITA   1:53.77
 14  25  515806 KAMER Nadja  1986  SUI   1:53.81
 15  8  195983 ROLLAND Marion  1982  FRA   1:53.85
 16  4  538305 SMITH Leanne  1987  USA   1:53.87
 17  16  505483 PAERSON Anja  1981  SWE   1:53.88
 18  9  55947 FENNINGER Anna  1989  AUT   1:53.90
 19  31  515560 SCHILD Martina  1981  SUI   1:53.97
 20  14  296008 MERIGHETTI Daniela  1981  ITA   1:54.18
 21  40  55882 STAUDINGER Christina  1987  AUT   1:54.34
 22  28  515766 SUTER Fabienne  1985  SUI   1:54.37
 23  45  55913 MOSER Stefanie  1988  AUT   1:54.48
 24  39  196812 PELLISSIER Marion  1988  FRA   1:54.51
 25  43  196968 BAILET Margot  1990  FRA   1:54.55
 26  3  515849 DETTLING Andrea  1987  SUI   1:54.57
 27  21  537545 MANCUSO Julia  1984  USA   1:54.62
 28  37  55766 MADER Regina  1985  AUT   1:54.64
 29  33  505886 KLING Kajsa  1988  SWE   1:54.73
 30  10  196573 REVILLET Aurelie  1986  FRA   1:54.88
 31  48  495318 RUIZ CASTILLO Carolina  1981  SPA   1:55.01
 31  27  537582 COOK Stacey  1984  USA   1:55.01
 33  22  515573 AUFDENBLATTEN Fraenzi  1981  SUI   1:55.08
 34  47  55806 ALTACHER Margret  1986  AUT   1:55.18
 35  20  205218 REBENSBURG Viktoria  1989  GER   1:55.35
 36  38  197006 GAUTHIER Marine  1990  FRA   1:55.39
 37  7  206175 STECHERT Gina  1987  GER   1:55.40
 38  19  538685 MCKENNIS Alice  1989  USA   1:55.41
 39  46  297702 MARSAGLIA Francesca  1990  ITA   1:55.53
 40  42  206323 STIEPEL Isabelle  1990  GER   1:55.57
 41  32  296623 MAZZOTTI Lucia  1985  ITA   1:55.65
 42  35  515692 GRAND Rabea  1984  SUI   1:55.74
 43  2  565320 FERK Marusa  1988  SLO   1:55.75
 44  51  515997 FEIERABEND Denise  1989  SUI   1:55.76
 45  44  55970 SCHMIDHOFER Nicole  1989  AUT   1:55.91
 46  34  55978 VOGLREITER Mariella  1989  AUT   1:56.00
 47  59  105269 GAGNON Marie-Michele  1989  CAN   1:56.03
 48  24  515747 GISIN Dominique  1985  SUI   1:56.09
 49  60  195972 AUBERT Sandrine  1982  FRA   1:56.55
 50  26  515782 ABDERHALDEN Marianne  1986  SUI   1:56.68
 51  49  297910 CURTONI Elena  1991  ITA   1:56.82
 52  54  297601 BRIGNONE Federica  1990  ITA   1:57.26
 53  55  565333 BRODNIK Vanja  1989  SLO   1:58.28
 54  56  538284 MCJAMES Megan  1987  USA   1:58.69
 55  58  35079 SIMARI BIRKNER Maria Belen  1982  ARG   2:00.78
 56  57  35089 SIMARI BIRKNER Macarena  1984  ARG   2:01.34
 57  52  565323 JAZBEC Katja  1988  SLO   2:01.57
Did not start 1st run
   61  106825 PREFONTAINE Marie-Pier  1988  CAN   
   53  515855 GOOD Esther  1987  SUI   
   50  516280 HOLDENER Wendy  1993  SUI   
Did not finish 1st run
   29  538038 MARSHALL Chelsea  1986  USA   

About the Author: Eric Williams

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