You could almost hear the rest of the women on the World Cup sighing. The defending champion has added a new threat. Lindsey Vonn has won the first slalom of the 2009 World Cup season.

Vonn won last season’s overall title powered by six downhill wins. She collected ten podiums, but her best finish in a “technical” event, was a sixth in GS. In slalom, her best 2008 seasonal effort was 11th – discounting some dazzling slalom runs in combined. But Nov. 15 she clocked the fastest first run at Levi, Finland and held off all comers by posting the fastest second run as well. She won by four tenths of a second over Swede Maria Pietilae-Holmner, who was notching her first World Cup podium. Third went to Vonn’s friend Maria Riesch who fell on Vonn in celebration as she lay in the finish area in a bit of disbelief.

You could almost hear the rest of the women on the World Cup sighing. The defending champion has added a new threat. Lindsey Vonn has won the first slalom of the 2009 World Cup season.

Vonn won last season’s overall title powered by six downhill wins. She collected ten podiums, but her best finish in a “technical” event, was a sixth in GS. In slalom, her best 2008 seasonal effort was 11th – discounting some dazzling slalom runs in combined. But Nov. 15 she clocked the fastest first run at Levi, Finland and held off all comers by posting the fastest second run as well. She won by four tenths of a second over Swede Maria Pietilae-Holmner, who was notching her first World Cup podium. Third went to Vonn’s friend Maria Riesch who fell on Vonn in celebration as she lay in the finish area in a bit of disbelief.

Favorites Nicole Hosp of Austria, Veronika Zuzulova of Slovakia and the homestanding Tanja Poutiainen finished fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.

And Vonn’s run was not perfect. An error at the mid-way point threw her off stride momentarily, but she quickly regained composure and skied confidently to the win.

“This is great,” she told TV reporters in the finish. “I can’t believe it, especially after that mistake, I love it, I love Levi, this is fantastic.”

Levi had been the site of her two best Cup slalom results, a fourth and sixth, both scored in 2006 in a back-to-back late season showing.

Vonn becomes the first American woman to win in four disciplines and needs only a GS win to complete the cycle.

She left no doubt she was going for the win. “It’s wonderful day for me. There was pressure on me this afternoon yet I fought hard and made that big, big mistake because I tried so hard. I thought it was all over and attacked more. I could not believe it afterwards.”

She said she went too direct and skied straight into a gate. “I was lucky to remain on course,” she said.”

Some weren’t so lucky. Six women skied out in the second run nearly all of them on the same gate. It was the same gate that caught American Sarah Schleper in her first slalom race since the 2006 Olympics. It was a blue gate, which in the weak Finnish winter light, blended into the B-net and skiers had difficulty picking it up in time. Schleper, to her credit, hiked to make the gate, but finished too far back of the field to get points. Still, her skiing was reason for elation among the coaching staff.

“What ‘Schlep’ did today was amazing,” said gate coach Trevor Wagner. “It’s been two years and eight months since her last slalom race, so for her to make the top 30 today was a big victory. Sure, it’s a bummer she didn’t score, but this is big for her confidence. We’ll get Kaylin (Richardson), Hailey (Duke), and Julia (Mancuso) going in Aspen and we’re going to have one solid slalom program,” he said.

The day, though, belonged to Vonn, much to the amazement of all, even her.

“It is just mind boggling to me that I’m wearing the red (leader) bib in slalom. … There is no way I could have predicted my first win would be a slalom.”

Of concern to the other ladies of the World Cup should be the manner in which she won it. She all but came to a stop during that second run mistake; and still won the run.

“I’m dedicating this victory to Buck Hill and Minnesota,” said Vonn who grew up skiing the hills around Minneapolis. “I love Levi; this hill is a lot like Minnesota with a flat section followed by some really steep gates. Normally I’m not that good on the steeps, but I’ve been working really closely with Rossignol on my skis and they’re feeling so good.”

 

-With additional report  from Patrick Lang

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The SCOOP

By Hank McKee

Women’s Slalom, Levi, Finland, Nov. 15, 2008

1 Vonn (Kildow), Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol

2 Pietilae-Holmner, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol

3 Riesch, Head/Lange/Tyrolia

4 Hosp, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker

5 Zuzulova, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

6 Poutiainen, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker

7 Paerson, Head/Head/Head

8 Borssen, Nordica/Nordica

9 Zahrobska, Head/Head/Tyrolia

10 Bergmann, Head/Nordica/Tyrolia

 

 

Women’s Slalom, Levi, Finland, Nov. 15, 2008

It is the second of 36 races on the women’s 2009 World Cup schedule. … The first of nine scheduled slaloms. … It is the seventh race, all slaloms, held at Levi, the first since Nov. 12, 2006. Conditions are clear, no wind, and temperatures at -6C.

It is the 14th career World Cup win for Lindsey Vonn. … Her first in slalom. … She becomes the first American to win in four disciplines having previously won in combined, downhill and super G. … It is her best result of four at Levi, the others a 13th in 2004, and a fourth and sixth in March 2006. … The latter two remain her next best career slalom finishes. … It is the 188th win for the U.S., the last coming from Ted Ligety at World Cup finals last season. … The win bumps her to the top of the overall standings by nine points over Tanja Poutiainen (sixth in race) and Maria Pietilae-Holmner who are tied at 120pts.

It is the first career Cup podium for Maria Pietilae-Holmner. … Her previous best had been fifth in GS at Aspen, November 2006. … Her best previous slalom result was sixth at Are, March 17, 2006 and Semmering Dec. 29, 2006 in a night slalom.

It is the 19th career Cup podium for Maria Riesch, eight of them coming last season. … It is her fourth slalom podium. … She has one slalom win, at Levi Feb. 29, 2004.

Anna Goodman of Canada was the only other North American to score in the race finishing 23rd. … It is her second best career mark after a 19th in slalom at Zagreb last Feb. 15. … Sarah Schleper had a disasterous second run. … She finished 25th, but too far off the leader to get points.

Vonn leads the overall standings 129-120 over Poutiainen and Pietilae-Holmner, and the slalom standings.
 

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Rank	Bib	FIS Code	Name	Year	Nation	Run 1	Run 2	Total Time	FIS Points
1	18	537544	VONN Lindsey	1984	USA	53.61	54.37	1:47.98	0.00
2	14	505760	PIETILAE-HOLMNER Maria	1986	SWE	53.99	54.39	1:48.38	2.22
3	4	206001	RIESCH Maria	1984	GER	54.08	54.56	1:48.64	3.67
4	2	55690	HOSP Nicole	1983	AUT	53.83	55.11	1:48.94	5.33
5	6	705287	ZUZULOVA Veronika	1984	SVK	54.59	54.51	1:49.10	6.22
6	3	185140	POUTIAINEN Tanja	1980	FIN	54.52	54.76	1:49.28	7.22
7	13	505483	PAERSON Anja	1981	SWE	54.90	54.40	1:49.30	7.33
8	7	505610	BORSSEN Therese	1984	SWE	54.62	54.84	1:49.46	8.22
9	1	155415	ZAHROBSKA Sarka	1985	CZE	54.52	54.96	1:49.48	8.33
10	8	205636	BERGMANN Monika	1978	GER	54.83	55.27	1:50.10	11.78
11	34	515692	GRAND Rabea	1984	SUI	55.25	54.93	1:50.18	12.22
12	24	295435	GIUS Nicole	1980	ITA	54.93	55.31	1:50.24	12.56
13	43	515997	FEIERABEND Denise	1989	SUI	55.32	54.97	1:50.29	12.84
13	16	296259	MOELGG Manuela	1983	ITA	55.11	55.18	1:50.29	12.84
15	9	55759	KIRCHGASSER Michaela	1985	AUT	55.53	54.83	1:50.36	13.22
16	22	206035	CHMELAR Fanny	1985	GER	54.95	55.51	1:50.46	13.78
17	5	296354	COSTAZZA Chiara	1984	ITA	55.25	55.60	1:50.85	15.95
18	20	195972	AUBERT Sandrine	1982	FRA	55.64	55.36	1:51.00	16.78
19	10	205993	HOELZL Kathrin	1984	GER	55.72	55.37	1:51.09	17.28
20	23	385027	FLEISS Nika	1984	CRO	55.74	55.63	1:51.37	18.84
21	19	505679	HANSDOTTER Frida	1985	SWE	54.37	57.04	1:51.41	19.06
22	57	185229	ROMAR Tii-Maria	1986	FIN	55.68	56.19	1:51.87	21.62
23	33	106633	GOODMAN Anna	1986	CAN	55.36	56.54	1:51.90	21.78
24	54	185271	LEINONEN Sanni	1989	FIN	55.77	56.39	1:52.16	23.23
25	35	536481	SCHLEPER Sarah	1979	USA	55.77	1:06.77	2:02.54	80.90

Did not start 1st run: NOVOSELIC Sofija (CRO), CAMASTRAL Aita (SUI).

Did not finish 1st run: ROVE Kristiina (FIN), HAPPONEN Emma (FIN), HASEGAWA Emi (JPN), BERTRAND Marion (FRA), ABDERHALDEN Marianne (SUI), HOSHI Mizue (JPN)

Did not finish 2nd run: NOENS Nastasia (FRA), RIESCH Susanne (GER), DE LEYMARIE Florine (FRA), KARBON Denise (ITA), ZETTEL Kathrin (AUT), GINI Sandra (SUI)

Did not qualify 1st run: SCHNARF Johanna (ITA), PERSYN Karen (BEL), ZAKOURILOVA Petra (CZE), ACTON Brigitte (CAN), GASIENICA DANIEL Agnieszka (POL), LOLOVIC Jelena (SRB), BARTHET Anne-Sophie (FRA), HONKONEN Jessica (FIN), KURFUERSTOVA Eva (CZE), MUELLER Anne Marie (NOR), FERNSEBNER Carolin (GER), FERK Marusa (SLO), ROBNIK Mateja (SLO), LOESETH Lene (NOR), STRENG Simone (AUT), PERNER Nina (GER), KARASINSKA Katarzyna (POL), RUBENS Shona (CAN), BLIENINGER Anja (GER), SMED Veronica (SWE), DUERR Katharina (GER), CURTONI Irene (ITA), DUKE Hailey (USA), GOERGL Elisabeth (AUT), BONJOUR Aline (SUI), TRIENDL Katrin (AUT), DAUTHERIVES Claire (FRA), NIGG Marina (LIE), JELUSIC Ana (CRO)