Kranjska Gora: Schild wins SL No. 5; Richardson 8th

Overall standings leader Marlies Schild of Austria remained dominant in women's slalom Sunday, winning her second straight slalom race and fifth in the discipline this season. American Kaylin Richardson was a career-best eighth and Julia Mancuso 18th.
    Schild led the first run and finished with a two-tun time of 1 minute, 40.96 seconds, with Sarka Zahrobska of the Czech Republic in second, trailing by .66 seconds, and Slovakia's Veronika Zuzulova third, 1.65 back.
    American Resi Stiegler, seventh in the first run, did not finish the second run and Lindsey Kildow skied out in the first run.

KRANJSKA GORA, Slovenia — Overall standings leader Marlies Schild of Austria remained dominant in women's slalom Sunday, winning her second straight slalom race and fifth in the discipline this season. American Kaylin Richardson was a career-best eighth and Julia Mancuso 18th.
    Schild negotiated the icy Podkoren course with a two-tun time of 1 minute, 40.96 seconds, with Sarka Zahrobska of the Czech Republic in second, trailing by .66 seconds, and Slovakia's Veronika Zuzulova third, 1.65 back.
    American Resi Stiegler was seventh after the first run, but she straddled a gate midway down and had to pull out in the second run. Lindsey Kildow, who missed Saturday's giant slalom through illness, crashed out in the opening leg, and Caitlin Ciccone did not qualify for second run.
    “It is absolutely unbelievable what is happening to me right now,” Schild said. “Winning just seems so easy for me. I’m having a great time. I feel so confident, which helps me to ski each time with great determination. I’m having the best time in my career for the moment.
    “I am just so sad that the next World Cup slalom is in two months because I feel able to do so much in that specialty. It was like a dream today — my skis were just flying over the snow."
    Zahrobska improved her best career result by one place — from third to second — and set her sights on a victory.
    ''Marlies is skiing very strongly this season and it will be difficult to do better, but there are still more slalom races and the World Championship coming up,'' Zahrobska said.
    Zuzulova's podium finish equaled her best result from two seasons ago in Zweisel, Germany.
    “I’ve found it difficult to combine two good runs,” Zuzulova said. “I was thinking maybe I could do more after the first one and it was good.”
    Sunday's result was the first career top-10 finish for Richardson, whose previous best was 13th in a Reiteralm super G on Dec. 16, 2006. Her previous slalom best was 17th at Spindleruv Mlyn in 2005 and again last week at Zagreb. Starting 35th Sunday, she sizzled on the second run, recording the third-fastest time behind Schild and Zahrobska.
    Schild has won all but one of the six slaloms this season, including last week in Zagreb, Croatia. Therese Borssen of Sweden, who came in sixth Sunday, won the only other title, at Semmering, where Schild was third. Schild also won a super combined at Reiteralm on Dec. 15.
    The Austrians have dominated this season, winning 11 of 16 races, including three sweeps of the podium.
    Two-time overall champion Anja Paerson, who has been struggling since knee surgery during the offseason, smacked a gate with the inside of her wrist and went out of the race — her second straight elimination from a slalom.

Richardson finding the right stuff
    "Not bad, huh? She learned from Zagreb," U.S. tech head coach Chris Knight said, a reference to Thursday night in Croatia, when Richardson was 15th in the first run and got anxious before her second run under the lights. "She laid one down this time. Kaylin's skiing so well — good position, good balance, she's stable. It's all coming together for her."
    Richardson, 14th in the morning run, had the third-fastest second run to finish in 1:43.19.
    "I'm smiling. That was an exciting second run," said Richardson, a three-time NorAm slalom champion who got her first two World Cup top 15s last month (in a super G and super combined). "Today was a good day. The first run I skied well on top and had a bobble on the bottom, so the second I wanted to do exactly the same but keep it together and fix the bottom part of my run."
    Jubilant in the finish, Richardson added, "I just skied really well. I did what I know how to do. Yeah, it's a big confidence for me.
    "This course is pretty much in the shadow all day long, and there's no snow any other place. The race organizers did a great job of preparation. The conditions were so good, and the [course] sets were good, too, and I heard that from so many of the other girls on other teams. Chris and an Italian set the courses and they were so nice … fun to ski."
    She agreed with Knight that Zagreb played a key role in her top-10 breakthrough; she was 15th in the first run but slid back to 17th that race. "Zagreb was big for me. It's all a building process with everyone. The World Cup is tough — it's the World Cup! — and getting that second run is a 50-foot wall. But once you've been on top a couple of times, you start to believe you have what it takes … and I know I have it."
    Team dynamics also played a role in her breakthrough, according to Richardson. "It's an exciting time for the U.S. Ski Team. All the girls are skiing fast. Caitlin's skiing so fast, too, and I've told her. This was only her sixth World Cup and I skied so many World Cups before I got that second run, and she'll get there. We've got so much positive energy bouncing off each other … and, of course, we're dominating the speed events."
    Knight also praised organizers for the "fantastic" conditions. "They know how to do much with so little, and it's been great here. You still could qualify from last place in that first run," he said.
    "We're in a good place with slalom — we've got three girls making top 10s [Stiegler, Mancuso and Richardson] and making runs that are really competitive, and we'll get Lindsey back in there, too. She's a strong slalom skier," the coach said, "but she's got so much going on … and she's having such great results in downhill, but we've got a slalom and super combined next weekend along with a downhill, so a couple of days of training slalom can get her back in there, too"
    The World Cup has been plagued by unseasonably warm weather this season. The races in Kranjska Gora were substituted for an event in Maribor, Slovenia, canceled due to a lack of snow.
    The next women's World Cup races include a three-day visit to Zauchensee, Austria — a super combined, downhill and super G, starting Friday.

— Manuèle Lang, USSA and The Associated Press contributed to this report

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THE SCOOP

By Hank McKee

Equipment
Women's slalom, Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Jan. 7, 2007
Skier, skis/boots/bindings1 Schild, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
2 Zahrobska, Head/Head/Tyrolia
3 Zuzulova, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
4 Poutiainen, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker
5 Jelusic, Atomic/Salomon/Atomic
6 Borssen, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
7 Hosp, Volkl/Fischer/Marker
8 Richardson, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker
9 Kirchgasser, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
10 DeLeymarie, Dynastar/Lange/Look

Women's slalom, Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Jan 7, 2007. … It is the 16th race of the women's 37-event World Cup schedule. … The sixth of nine scheduled women's slaloms. … It is the second of two races moved to Kransjka Gora from Maribor due to a lack of snow. … It is the last women's slalom until Feb. 25 (Sierra Nevada, Spain). … Women's World Championship slalom is Feb. 16.
    It is the 13th career win for Marlies Schild. … The 11th in slalom. … It is her sixth win of the season, and fifth in six slaloms. … She now hold a share of the Austrian record for slalom wins, tying Benjamin Raich, and matches Hanni Wenzel for sixth on the women's all-time slalom win list.
    It is the second career podium for Sarka Zahrobska. … The second in two consecutive slaloms… And her best career result, bettering the third from Zagreb Jan. 4. … It is her second top 10 in two days, having also placed seventh in the GS Jan. 6.
    It is the second career podium for Veronika Zuzulova, the previous — also a third — coming Feb. 8, 2004, at Region Arber also in slalom. … Those are the only two Slovakian World Cup podiums recorded.
    It is the first top 10 for Kaylin Richardson and just her eighth scoring result. … It is her fifth scoring result of the season and third in slalom this season. … It is the second time she has led U.S. finishers in a Cup race result. … It is the 69th career top 20 for Julia Mancuso. … Her 10th scoring result of the season. … It is her second best of three finishes in slalom this season. … It is the sixth scoring finish of the season for Brigitte Acton, fourth in slalom and tied for second best in slalom this season. … Resi Stiegler was seventh after the first run.
    Marlies Schild retains the lead of the overall standings 797-700 over Nicole Hosp (seventh in race). … Kathrin Zettel (second-run DNF) maintains third at 562. … Lindsey Kildow is fourth at 448. Schild leads the slalom standings 560-292 over Therese Borssen (sixth in race). … Ana Jelusic (fifth in race) is third at 283. … Resi Stiegler (second-run DNF) is the top U.S. skier on the slalom list in 14th with 117 points. … Schild need place eighth or better in any one of the remaining three slaloms to take the slalom title. … Winning margin is .66 of a second. … Third place is outside a second. … Top five skiers are within two seconds. 

Kranjska Gora women's World Cup slalom results

Rank	Bib	FIS Code	Name	Year	Nation	Run 1	Run 2	Total Time	FIS Points
1	4	55590	SCHILD Marlies	1981	AUT	50.15	50.81	1:40.96	0.00
2	10	155415	ZAHROBSKA Sarka	1985	CZE	50.55	51.07	1:41.62	3.99
3	18	705287	ZUZULOVA Veronika	1984	SVK	50.77	51.84	1:42.61	9.97
4	5	185140	POUTIAINEN Tanja	1980	FIN	50.78	51.90	1:42.68	10.39
5	6	385032	JELUSIC Ana	1986	CRO	51.27	51.60	1:42.87	11.54
6	7	505610	BORSSEN Therese	1984	SWE	51.46	51.58	1:43.04	12.57
7	1	55690	HOSP Nicole	1983	AUT	51.90	51.21	1:43.11	12.99
8	35	537626	RICHARDSON Kaylin L	1984	USA	52.03	51.16	1:43.19	13.47
9	11	55759	KIRCHGASSER Michaela	1985	AUT	52.00	51.28	1:43.28	14.02
10	19	195912	DE LEYMARIE Florine	1981	FRA	52.38	51.23	1:43.61	16.01
11	12	505760	PIETILAE-HOLMNER Maria	1986	SWE	52.41	51.34	1:43.75	16.86
12	9	205115	GERG Annemarie	1975	GER	51.72	52.30	1:44.02	18.49
13	20	296259	MOELGG Manuela	1983	ITA	52.20	51.94	1:44.14	19.21
14	22	195215	VIDAL Vanessa	1974	FRA	52.61	51.73	1:44.34	20.42
15	24	185271	LEINONEN Sanni	1989	FIN	52.37	52.05	1:44.42	20.91
16	50	515619	GINI Sandra	1982	SUI	52.38	52.11	1:44.49	21.33
17	33	425771	LOESETH Nina	1989	NOR	53.10	51.44	1:44.54	21.63
18	17	537545	MANCUSO Julia	1984	USA	52.16	52.40	1:44.56	21.75
19	30	505679	HANSDOTTER Frida	1985	SWE	53.01	51.74	1:44.75	22.90
20	21	295265	CERESA Annalisa	1978	ITA	52.91	51.97	1:44.88	23.68
21	29	106527	ACTON Brigitte	1985	CAN	52.83	52.54	1:45.37	26.65
22	31	55750	FISCHBACHER Andrea	1985	AUT	53.07	52.59	1:45.66	28.40
23	14	505187	OTTOSSON Anna	1976	SWE	51.77	54.39	1:46.16	31.42
24	32	565243	MAZE Tina	1983	SLO	52.99	53.32	1:46.31	32.32
25	48	565261	ROBNIK Petra	1984	SLO	53.15	53.31	1:46.46	33.23

Did not finish 1st run:
KIRKOVA Maria (BUL), KARBON Denise (ITA), DREV Ana (SLO), NOENS Nastasia (FRA), SMUTNA Michaela (CZE), FERNSEBNER Carolin (GER), PERSYN Karen (BEL), CAMASTRAL Aita (SUI), TRIENDL Kathrin (AUT), RIESCH Susanne (GER), CHMELAR Fanny (GER), KILDOW Lindsey C (USA)

Did not finish 2nd run:
STRENG Simone (AUT), KARASINSKA Katarzyna (POL), STIEGLER Resi (USA), ZETTEL Kathrin (AUT), PAERSON Anja (SWE)

Did not qualify 2nd run:
GIUS Nicole (ITA), MACULOVA Sona (SVK), LOLOVIC Jelena (SRB), ZEISER Daniela (AUT), BERNTSEN Hedda (NOR), HOELZL Kathrin (GER), VIKEN Line (NOR), HULTDIN Malin (SWE), CICCONE Caitlin (USA), MUELLER Anne Marie (NOR), KURFUERSTOVA Eva (CZE), LOESETH Lene (NOR), KOBAL Ana (SLO), RIESCH Maria (GER), BARTHET Anne-Sophie (FRA), AUBERT Sandrine (FRA), BERGMANN-SCHMUDERER Monika (GER), COSTAZZA Chiara (ITA)

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Women's World Cup slalom standings (after 6 of 9 races)
1. Marlies Schild, Austria, 560 points.
2. Therese Borssen, Sweden, 292.
3. Ana Jelusic, Croatia, 283.
4. Kathrin Zettel, Austria, 257.
5. Sarka Zahrobska, Czech Republic, 245.
6. Nicole Hosp, Austria, 244.
7. Veronika Zuzulova, Slovakia, 184.
8. Tanja Poutiainen, Finland, 157.
9. Monika Bergmann-Schmuderer, Germany, 145.
10. Annemarie Gerg, Germany, 126.
(tie) Michaela Kirchgasser, Austria, 126.
(tie) Maria Pietila Holmner, Sweden, 126.
13. Chiara Costazza, Italy, 119.
14. Resi Stiegler, United States, 117.
15. Florine De Leymarie, France, 111.

Women's World Cup overall standings (after 15 of 33 races)
1. Marlies Schild, Austria, 797 points.
2. Nicole Hosp, Austria, 700.
3. Kathrin Zettel, Austria, 562.
4. Lindsey Kildow, United States, 448.
5. Renate Goetschl, Austria, 441.
6. Anja Paerson, Sweden, 408.
7. Julia Mancuso, United States, 374.
8. Tanja Poutiainen, Finland, 358.
9. Michaela Kirchgasser, Austria, 343.
10. Sarka Zahrobska, Czech Republic, 340.
11. Therese Borssen, Sweden, 292.
12. Ana Jelusic, Croatia, 286.
13. Ingrid Jacquemod, France, 254.
14. Maria Pietila Holmner, Sweden, 216.
15. Andrea Fischbacher, Austria, 214.