For the second time in the same week, French racer Sandrine Aubert was at the helm of another unexpected slalom finish at the World Cup finals in Are, Sweden, on Friday.

After landing her first ever World Cup victory (and podium) in Ofterschwang, Germany, last Saturday, Aubert followed it up with a second win in Are, putting down the fastest two-run combined time of 1 minute, 49.23 seconds.

When Patrick Lang asked the 26-year-old what it feels like to win her first two World Cup races in the same week, Aubert, grinning ear to ear, said, “it’s exceptional, fantastic, wonderful.”

“I can’t say anything,” she said. “It’s so good for me. I didn’t expect that, but it’s fantastic. You know, I want to play, I want to ski. No matter what the result is, I’m OK. I’m good.”For the second time in the same week, French racer Sandrine Aubert was at the helm of another unexpected slalom finish at the World Cup finals in Are, Sweden, on Friday.

After landing her first ever World Cup victory (and podium) in Ofterschwang, Germany, last Saturday, Aubert followed it up with a second win in Are, putting down the fastest two-run combined time of 1 minute, 49.23 seconds.

When Patrick Lang asked the 26-year-old what it feels like to win her first two World Cup races in the same week, Aubert, grinning ear to ear, said, “it’s exceptional, fantastic, wonderful.”

“I can’t say anything,” she said. “It’s so good for me. I didn’t expect that, but it’s fantastic. You know, I want to play, I want to ski. No matter what the result is, I’m OK. I’m good.”

Also, German Fanny Chmelar, who landed her second ever World Cup top 10 (she had a sixth dating back to 2006) last week with a 10th place in Ofterschwang and also took eighth in the world championship slalom race in Val d’Isere in February, landed on her first World Cup podium Friday, finishing .06 seconds behind Aubert. Czech slalom hero Sarka Zahrobska and Swede Therese Borssen tied for third, .23 seconds off the winning pace. With this, Zahrobska, who was in the lead after the first run Friday, overtook Lindsey Vonn in the slalom standings to finish second behind title holder Maria Riesch.

Riesch, who put down the second fastest first run time but ended up fifth Friday, collected the 2009 slalom globe with a grand total of 670 points. Zahrobska finished with 459 points and Vonn with 440.

Vonn, fifth after the first run, ended up 18th Friday after two major slips in her second run. She recovered but was slowed by one big bobble about halfway down the course, then went down on her hip about five gates from the bottom. Though she managed to lurch back up in time to get around the next gate, her time was lost.

“I would have liked the slalom to turn out better. My goal was to stay second in the standings behind Maria, but Sarka skied a great race,” Vonn said. “I’ve already accomplished more this season than I possibly could have hoped for. I was able to keep both the downhill and overall titles and the super G was such a bonus. I’m really proud of that. Tomorrow is the GS, so the season isn’t over just yet,” Vonn said.

Watch the women’s World Cup women’s final GS live Saturday on universalsports.com.

The SCOOP
By Hank McKee

Equipment
Women’s Slalom, Are, Sweden, March 13, 2009
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Aubert, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
2 Chmelar, Head/Lange/Tyrolia
3 Borssen, Nordica/Nordica/Atomic
3 Zahrobska, Head/Head/Tyrolia
5 Riesch, Head/Lange/Tyrolia
6 Hansdotter, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
7 Pietilae-Holmner, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
8 Poutiainen, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker
9 Zettel, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
10 Jelusic, Atomic/Salomon/Atomic

Women’s Slalom, Are, Sweden, March 13, 2009. … It is the 35th race of the women’s 2009 World Cup season with one race remaining. … It is the ninth and final slalom of the season. … It is the 74th World Cup race at Are. … The fifth of eight at these World Cup Finals.

It is the second career World Cup win for Sandrine Aubert. … Both coming this season. … And both coming in consecutive slaloms having also won at Ofterschwang, Germany, March 7. … Her next best result is fifth in combined at St Anton Dec. 22, 2007.

It is the first career World Cup podium for Fanny Chmelar. … Her best previous result has been sixth in combined at Reiteralm Dec. 15, 2006. … Her best previous result this season had been eighth in slalom at World Championships, her next best World Cup of the season a tenth at Ofterschwang.

It is the eighth World Cup career podium for Sarka Zahrobska. … Her third of the season, all in slalom. … She also won the silver medal in slalom at Worlds.

It is the sixth career World Cup podium for Therese Borssen, all in slalom. … And her first podium of the season. … Her best previous result in the 2009 season was an eighth in the Levi slalom Nov. 15, 2008.

Lindsey Vonn was the only North American in the competition and finished 18th. … It is one of two results this season (of 30 counting Worlds) Vonn recorded from outside the top 10.

Maria Riesch tightens the margin between herself and World Cup overall title winner Lindsey Vonn. … Vonn leads 1788-1404. … Anja Paerson (11th in race) stands third with 1059 and one race remaining. … Maria Riesch has won the slalom title with a final standings mark of 670-459 over Zahrobska. … Vonn (18th in race) finishes third at 440 with Tanja Poutiainen fourth at 406. … It is the first Cup slalom title for Germany since Rosi Mittermaier won in 1976, and just the third ever. … The other came in ’74 from Christa Zechmeister.

Complete results: