Maribor: Riesch unstoppable in slalom

The German slalom queen held onto her reign Sunday, winning her fourth straight World Cup slalom race, destroying the field in 1 minute, 29.64 seconds. Austrian Kathrin Zettel was the closest to her, 1.15 seconds back, followed by giant slalom points leader Tanja Poutiainen, 1.77  seconds back in third. Anja Paerson and Lindsey Vonn tied for fourth, 2.04 seconds back.

“I tried to ski clean, not the full risk,” Riesch said after the race. “I was not that slow in the second run, not that fast, but still good.”

As in her three previous slalom wins, Riesch established an early lead. On Sunday she was a whopping 1.29 seconds away from her nearest contender, Zettel, after the first run.

The German slalom queen held onto her reign Sunday, winning her fourth straight World Cup slalom race, destroying the field in 1 minute, 29.64 seconds. Austrian Kathrin Zettel was the closest to her, 1.15 seconds back, followed by giant slalom points leader Tanja Poutiainen, 1.77  seconds back in third. Anja Paerson and Lindsey Vonn tied for fourth, 2.04 seconds back.

“I tried to ski clean, not the full risk,” Riesch said after the race. “I was not that slow in the second run, not that fast, but still good.”

As in her three previous slalom wins, Riesch established an early lead. On Sunday she was a whopping 1.29 seconds away from her nearest contender, Zettel, after the first run.

She said the course was tough in the first run and she “didn’t feel so comfortable,” on the steeps, but this wasn’t evident in her skiing or her timing.

Vonn finished the first run in 18th place, nearly 2 and a half seconds slower than Riesch, after recovering from a bobble near the finish line. In the second run, she stood in the leader’s box after the second run (waving and saying “hi” to her grandma) while none of the first run’s fastest racers could match her time until Paerson shot down the course for an even tie. Then the two were bested by Poutiainen, Zettel and Riesch.

“There were so many technical events. Now we’re coming back to do downhill and super G,” Riesch pointed out after the race. “I think it’s Lindsey’s turn now. I’m so good in slalom now. She’s good, too, but she’s better in downhill, so it will be a hard fight.”

The Maribor races end a long, four-week stretch of nearly all tech races, but in the coming weeks, the women’s World Cup tour will focus on downhill, super-combined and super G events.

After Saturday’s seventh place in the Maribor GS race, Vonn said she’s very much looking forward to getting back into the faster disciplines.

“I’m really excited to get back into speed,” she said. “I feel good, my timing feels right and it will be great to get back on the long boards.”

Other Americans didn’t fair so well in the Maribor slalom. Julia Mancuso, Sarah Schleper, Kiley Staples, Hailey Duke and Sterling Grant all finished their first runs, but not fast enough to make the top 30 cut for the second run.

Riesch maintains her lead in the overall Cup standings with 729 points, followed by Poutiainen – who does not race in speed events – with 644 points and Vonn with 616 points. Riesch also now has an overwhelming lead in the slalom standings with 500 points, followed by Vonn with 340 and Poutiainen with 316.

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The SCOOP
By Hank McKee
Equipment
Women’s slalom, Maribor, Slovenia, Jan. 11, 2009
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Riesch, Head/Lange/Tyrolia
2 Zettel, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
3 Poutiainen, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker
4 Paerson, Head/Head/Head
4 Vonn, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
6 Hansdotter, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
7 Kirchgasser, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
8 Aubert, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
9 Pietilae-Holmner, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
10 Gini, Head/Lange/Head

Women’s Slalom, Maribor, Slovenia, Jan. 11, 2009. … It is the 15th race of the women’s 36 race 2009 World Cup schedule. … It is the sixth of nine scheduled slaloms. … It is the 58th World Cup race held at Maribor. … the 33rd slalom. … all women’s races. … Swiss great Vreni Schneider won six Maribor slaloms between 1989 and 1995.

It is the tenth career World Cup victory for Maria Riesch. … and her fourth of the season, all in consecutive slaloms. … For her career she has five slalom wins, two downhill wins, two SG wins and a combined victory. … Her best previous result at Maribor had been fourth in GS in 2004. … It is the first German win at Maribor since Hilde Gerg was a super G at the site on the first day of 1999. … No German had ever won a slalom at Maribor previously.

It is the 19th career World Cup podium for Kathrin Zettel. … Her ninth in slalom. … It is her fourth podium of the season. … second in slalom having been third at LaMolina. … It is her career best result at Maribor, the previous best a sixth place in slalom Jan. 23, 2005.

It is the 33rd career World Cup podium for Tanja Poutiainen. … The 18th in slalom. … It is her sixth podium of the season, three coming in GS and three in slalom. … She has yet to win a slalom this season. … Third matches her career best at Maribor, set previously in the 2005 slalom.

It is the sixth time Lindsey Vonn has been fourth or better in a World Cup slalom. … Five of those have come this season. … Five of her 11 scoring results this season have come in slalom. … All 11 of those results are top 10 placings. … Anna Goodman matches her career best World Cup result in 19th place first scored at Zagreb in slalom last season. … It is her fifth scoring result of the season.

Karen Persyn scores the best slalom result ever for Belgium and matches the eighth best result for her country in World Cup history.

Riesch extends her lead in the overall World Cup standings to 729-644 over Tanja Poutiainen. … Vonn is third at 616. … Riesch also leads the slalom standings 500-340 over Vonn. … Poutiainen is third at 316.