Austria's Goetschl takes final race and earns World Cup downhill title

Austria’s Goetschl takes final race and earns World Cup downhill titleAustria’s Renate Goetschl clinched the women’s downhill title on Wednesday after winning the final downhill race of the season at Sestriere, Italy, in a time of 1:45.01.

Goetschl’s only challenger for the title, German Hilde Gerg finished over a second behind in ninth place to ensure a comfortable 134-point victory for the Austrian.

Lindsey Kildow, the American junior who won the final training run, was the last racer out of the start gate, and was having an excellent run until she crashed hard around the 45-second mark.

“I woke up this morning knowing I was going to win,” she said after arriving in the finish distraught that her season ended with a crash instead of her first World Cup win. “I was carrying so much speed. I was getting big air off little bumps where I didn’t get much air yesterday.”

Sylviane Berthod of Switzerland finished second in 1:45.36 and Isolde Kostner of Italy was third in 1:45.53.

Bryna McCarty was the top finisher for the U.S., and the only American to score points, 13th. At the World Cup Finals, because of the smaller fields, only the top 15 skiers get World Cup points.

Also for the U.S. team, Caroline Lalive was 22nd and Jonna Mendes 24th, last among those who finished.

Goetschl’s race for glory nearly ended in disaster as the Austrian was forced to make up time in the later stages of the race after a big mistake at the top of the course. “I almost fell at the second gate and when I did I thought that it was all over,” said Goetschl, “So I decided to go flat out and took some enormous risks. From then on I skied perfectly.”

The Austrian suffered a bad knee injury in a crash at Lenzerheide, Switzerland, in March 2002 but recovered to finish as runner-up in downhill and super G last year. “I’m really happy. This means a lot to me,” she said. “At the start of the season I set the downhill title as my target and so it is wonderful to achieve my goal.”

Goetschl is now only 73 points behind Sweden’s Anja Paerson, who did not compete in Wednesday’s downhill, in the overall standings. Goetschl could close that gap even further in the super G on Thursday.

“This gives me confidence but I’m not going to put myself under pressure. I am happy I have reached my goal in downhill and it has been a fantastic season,” the 2000 World Cup overall champion said.

In an impressively consistent season, Goetschl has only once failed to make the podium in nine downhills.

Alpine World Cup Finals

Women’s Downhill

Sestriere, Italy

March 10, 2004

1. Renate Goetschl (Austria) 1:45.01

2. Sylviane Berthod (Switzerland) 1:45.36

3. Isolde Kostner (Italy) 1:45.53

4. Brigitte Obermoser (Austria) 1:45.86

5. Melanie Suchet (France) 1:45.90

6. Fraenzi Aufdenblatten (Switzerland) 1:45.97

7. Alexandra Meissnitzer (Austria) 1:45.98

8. Nadia Styger (Switzerland) 1:46.04

9. Hilde Gerg (Germany) 1:46.15

10. Ingrid Jacquemod (France) 1:46.39

11. Carole Montillet (France) 1:46.45

12. Maria Riesch (Germany) 1:46.57

13. Bryna McCarty (U.S.) 1:46.63

14. Emily Brydon (Canada) 1:46.84

15. Daniela Ceccarelli (Italy) 1:46.86

16. Barbara Kleon (Italy) 1:46.97

17. Michaela Dorfmeister (Austria) 1:47.20

18. Martina Schild (Switzerland) 1:47.31

19. Martina Ertl (Germany) 1:47.36

20. Elisabeth Goergl (Austria) 1:47.74

21. Catherine Borghi (Switzerland) 1:47.84

22. Caroline Lalive (U.S.) 1:47.96

23. Petra Haltmayr (Germany) 1:48.46

24. Jonna Mendes (U.S.) 1:48.65

DNF: Isabelle Huber (Germany), Lindsey Kildow (U.S.)

THE SCOOP

> by Hank McKee

Equipment, Women’s Downhill

Sestriere, Italy, March 10, 2004

Skier, skis/boots/bindings

1 Goetschl, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

2 Berthod, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

3 Kostner, Fischer/Lange/Tyrolia

4 Obermoser, Blizzard/Tecnica/Marker

5 Suchet, Dynastar/Lange/Look

6 Aufdenblatten, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

7 Meissnitzer, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker

8 Styger, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

9 Gerg, Volkl/Lange/Marker

10 Jacquemod, Dynastar/Lange/Look

The women have one SG, one SL and one GS remaining of the 36-race schedule. …

It’s the 19th win of the season for Salomon skis. … It’s the 33rd career win for Renate Goetschl, and sixth of the season. … She is now tied with Hanni Wenzel for fourth all-time among women for World Cup victories.

It’s the fifth career podium for Sylvaine Berthod and first this season. … It’s her second podium in a World Cup Finals event (Are, Sweden, DH 3/8/01). … It’s the sixth podium of the season for the Swiss. … It’s the 50th career podium for Isolde Kostner. … It’s her third of the season, the other two coming back to back at Haus im Ennstal.

It’s the sixth career scoring finish for Bryna McCarty with all the others coming at either Haus, Austria, or Lake Louise, Alberta, and all but one of those coming this season.. … The result matches the fourth best of the season for Emily Brydon. … No points are gained for the results by Caroline Lalive and Jonna Mendes.

Anja Paerson maintains the World Cup overall lead 1381-1308 over Goetschl with three races remaining. … Kirsten Clark is still the top American on the overall list in 13th place with 456 points; she has not raced since sustaining injuries 1/30. … Goetschl pads her DH title margin to 134 points over Hilde Gerg (680-546). … Clark is also the top American on the DH list at ninth with 228 points.

Italy regains second place from the U.S. in the Nations Cup standings (the U.S. had gone ahead after the men’s DH earlier in the day). … Austria leads 15921-4717 over Italy with the U.S. at 4684. … Among women the Austrians lead 5903-3474 over Germany with the U.S. third at 2199 and France fourth at 2122.