Goetschl narrows the gap in overall with super G win; Lalive leads U.S. in ninth

Goetschl narrows the gap in overall with super G win; Lalive leads U.S. in ninthAustria’s Renate Goetschl won the women’s super G on Saturday in Are, Sweden, taking over the lead in the super G standings and closing the gap on overall World Cup leader Anja Paerson.

In an extraordinarily close race, Goetschl separated herself from the field with an aggressive run on the Olympia course at Are. Her winning time of 1:09.22 was 0.22 better than runner-up Carole Montillet of France. Brigitte Obermoser of Austria was third in 1:09.50.

The next three skiers were all within 0.04 of Obermoser. Lucia Recchia of Italy was at 1:09.52, Melanie Suchet of France 1:09.53 and Silvia Berger of Austria 1:09.54. The top 17 skiers finished in the same second.

Goetschl, who got her third super G win of the season, and Montillet jumped into first and second, respectively, in the super G standings. The previous leader, Germany’s Hilde Gerg, missed a gate and was a DNF.

Paerson, who has been racing speed events to score much-needed points in her battle with Goetschl for the overall, finished 20th. She now leads Goetschl 1231 to 1208, and will try to extend her lead in the giant slalom scheduled for Are on Sunday.

“It was really difficult and I didn’t quite have the right confidence in the slope today. … I was very nervous,” said Paerson. “You can only enjoy watching (Goetschl), she skis so aggressively and beautifully. It’s all about watching and learning, and then maybe in a couple of years I’ll be able to ski as nice as this.”

The U.S. had four skiers in the top 20, led by Caroline Lalive in a tie for ninth with Germany’s Petra Haltmayer (1:09.76). Libby Ludlow was 11th — her best World Cup finish — and Lindsey Kildow 12th (from the 35th start), with Julia Mancuso 17th. Jonna Mendes finished out of the points in 41st.

The Canadian team was led by teenager Sophie Splawinski, who finished 14th and picked up her first World Cup points. The race was just her fourth World Cup super G — and second World Cup start this season — and by far her best finish; her previous best was 39th in Aspen back in November 2002. Also for Canada, Genevieve Simard was 19th and Emily Brydon 30th. Allison Forsyth finished 38th.

“It was a really tough course, maybe the most difficult one this season, but still it was perfect for me because it was so challenging, ” Goetschl said. “I also know this course so well, I’ve won in Are before, so I was comfortable and also really motivated before the race.”

Alpine World Cup

Women’s Super G

Are, Sweden

February 21, 2004

1. Renate Goetschl (Austria) 1:09.22

2. Carole Montillet (France) 1:09.44

3. Brigitte Obermoser (Austria) 1:09.50

4. Lucia Recchia (Italy) 1:09.52

5. Melanie Suchet (France) 1:09.53

6. Silvia Berger (Austria) 1:09.54

7. Nadia Styger (Switzerland) 1:09.64

8. Michaela Dorfmeister (Austria) 1:09.69

9= Caroline Lalive (U.S.) 1:09.76

9= Petra Haltmayr (Germany) 1:09.76

11. Libby Ludlow (U.S.) 1:09.77

12. Lindsey Kildow (U.S.) 1:09.87

13. Katja Wirth (Austria) 1:09.90

14. Sophie Splawinski (Canada) 1:10.00

15. Martina Ertl (Germany) 1:10.14

16. Martina Lechner (Austria) 1:10.16

17. Julia Mancuso (U.S.) 1:10.21

18. Andrine Flemmen (Norway) 1:10.23

19. Genevieve Simard (Canada) 1:10.25

20. Anja Paerson (Sweden) 1:10.56

21. Tina Maze (Slovenia) 1:10.80

22. Mojca Suhadolc (Slovenia) 1:10.87

23. Ella Alpiger (Switzerland) 1:10.91

24. Sylviane Berthod (Switzerland) 1:10.96

25. Tanja Pieren (Switzerland) 1:11.13

26. Nadia Fanchini (Italy) 1:11.16

27= Nike Bent (Sweden) 1:11.17

27= Julie Duvillard (France) 1:11.17

29. Elisabeth Goergl (Austria) 1:11.18

30. Emily Brydon (Canada) 1:11.19

Other North Americans:

38. Allison Forsyth, CAN 1:12.11

41. Jonna Mendes, USA 1:12.56

THE SCOOP

> by Hank McKee

Equipment, Women’s Super G

Are, Sweden, February 21, 2004

Skier, skis/boots/bindings

1 Goetschl, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

2 Montillet, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol

3 Obermoser, Blizzard/Tecnica/Marker

4 Recchia, Dynastar/Lange/Look

5 Suchet, Dynastar/Lange/Look

6 Berger, Fischer/Tecnica/Tyrolia

7 Styger, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

8 Dorfmeister, Blizzard/Nordica/Marker

9 Lalive, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

9 Haltmayr, Atomic/Lange/Atomic

Seven races remain of the women’s 36-race schedule: three slaloms, two GS’s, one DH and one SG. … This was the seventh of eight scheduled super G’s. … It’s the 17th win of the season for Salomon skis. … A remarkably tight race, with the top nine slightly more than a half second from winning and the top 17 within a second.

It’s the 32nd career World Cup win for Renate Goetschl moving her past Erika Hess on the all time win list into fourth place among women behind Annemarie Moser-Proell (62), Vreni Schneider (55) and Katja Seizinger (36). … It’s her fifth win of the season, third in SG.

It’s the 22nd career podium for Carole Montillet, all in SG or DH. … It’s her sixth podium of the season, four of them wins. … It’s the ninth career podium for Brigitte Obermoser and her first of the season. … Her two top-five finishes this season have come in the last two SG’s.

It’s the fifth top 10 of the season for Caroline Lalive. … Her only better SG result this season is a fourth at Cortina 1/14. … It’s a career-best finish for Libby Ludlow. … She was one one-hundredth from moving up two places. … It’s the fifth-best career finish and fourth best of the season for Lindsey Kildow. … The result matches the seventh best of Juilia Mancuso’s career and second-best SG result. … It’s her third-best result of the season behind two speed races at Cortina 1/14 and 1/18.

Canadian Sophie Splawinski in 14th got her first career World Cup points. … It’s the seventh top 20 of the season for Genevieve Simard, who won the Cortina SG 1/14. …

It was the 15th scoring finish of the season for Emily Brydon.

World Junior champion Nadia Fanchini of Italy claimed her first World Cup points finishing 26th. … In all three of her previous SG starts she had failed to finish.

Anja Paerson maintains the overall lead by 23 points over Goetschl (1231-1208). … Carole Montillet is third at 933. … Kirsten Clark, who has not raced since an injury January 30, is the top American in 10th at 456. … Goetschl leads the super G standings 431-402 over Montillet. … Lalive is the top American in the SG standings in ninth at 178.