Crans-Montana: Italians lead training charge

Mar 06, 2008

CRANS MONTANA – It has been 10 years since the ladies have run the Nationale downhill, here. Three current competitors; Alexandra Meissnitzer, Renate Goetschl, and Anja Paerson are the only ones who have skied on this track.
    It has been widened and FIS course setter, Jan Tischhauser, has made it a bit turny according to Goetschl. So for most, today’s training was truly a look see.
    For the record, the Italian team went one, two, with Daniela Ceccarelli stopping the clock at 1.38.48. She was followed by teammate Nadia Fanchini with Switzerland’s Dominique Gisin taking the third spot.
    Current overall leader Lindsey Vonn finished sixth, 0.42 back. However she stood up and skied wide down the final schuss.


CRANS MONTANA – It has been 10 years since the ladies have run the Nationale downhill, here. Three current competitors; Alexandra Meissnitzer, Renate Goetschl, and Anja Paerson are the only ones who have skied on this track.
    It has been widened and FIS course setter, Jan Tischhauser, has made it a bit turny according to Goetschl. So for most, today’s training was truly a look see.
    For the record, the Italian team went one, two, with Daniela Ceccarelli stopping the clock at 1.38.48. She was followed by teammate Nadia Fanchini with Switzerland’s Dominique Gisin taking the third spot.
    Current overall leader Lindsey Vonn finished sixth, 0.42 back. However she stood up and skied wide down the final schuss.
    "I had a really good time," Vonn said, who captured the downhill title with a second place finish in Whistler, BC. "There is some good terrain but in places it is pretty slow. You have to be light on your edges.
    "There are a couple of flat sections which, if you don’t come in there with speed, you are definitely going to be really, really slow coming out," Vonn said with a smile.
    While the training was run under brilliant sun and cold temperature, the course showed the effects of the exceptionally warm weather over the past weekend into Monday.
    "There were some pebbles on the top," commented Julia Mancuso who finished well back, 3.52 seconds behind Ceccarelli. Mancuso, who has not found skis to her liking, is still having difficulties with her turns. "It will be okay though, we are going to test skis right after the finals," she added.
    The next two races are going to be real test for the hot Canadian team. Britt Janyk is a scant 18 points behind Austria’s queen of speed Goetschl and teammate Kelly Vanderbeek is just 67 points out of second spot in the downhill standings.
    "The last two downhills are where it is at," Vanderbeek said discussing her chances for a top three ranking in the discipline. "I want to stand on the top step of the podium. I have never done that."
    Stacey Cook, who is the only other U. S racer here, seemed frustrated with her effort in the finish area. Cook, wound up 48th, 3.78 seconds off the pace.

 

 

OFFICIAL RESULTS – FIRST TRAINING

Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Total Time
 1  21  295136 CECCARELLI Daniela  1975  ITA   1:38.48
 2  2  296729 FANCHINI Nadia  1986  ITA   1:38.56
 3  20  515747 GISIN Dominique  1985  SUI   1:38.57
 4  10  55069 GOETSCHL Renate  1975  AUT   1:38.64
 5  18  196460 MARCHAND-ARVIER Marie  1985  FRA   1:38.66
 6  12  537544 VONN Lindsey  1984  USA   1:38.90
 7  8  105997 BRYDON Emily  1980  CAN   1:38.95
 8  24  515560 SCHILD Martina  1981  SUI   1:39.05
 9  14  505483 PAERSON Anja  1981  SWE   1:39.12
 10  15  515170 STYGER Nadia  1978  SUI   1:39.14
 11  27  55212 MEISSNITZER Alexandra  1973  AUT   1:39.16
 12  28  565243 MAZE Tina  1983  SLO   1:39.20
 13  17  515573 AUFDENBLATTEN Fraenzi  1981  SUI   1:39.24
 14  41  296473 SIORPAES Wendy  1985  ITA   1:39.47
 14  19  55750 FISCHBACHER Andrea  1985  AUT   1:39.47
 16  7  55576 GOERGL Elisabeth  1981  AUT   1:39.55
 17  38  195983 ROLLAND Marion  1982  FRA   1:39.56
 18  4  55690 HOSP Nicole  1983  AUT   1:39.59
 19  22  296431 STUFFER Verena  1984  ITA   1:39.68
 20  16  195671 JACQUEMOD Ingrid  1978  FRA   1:39.70
 21  6  206001 RIESCH Maria  1984  GER   1:39.71
 22  11  106022 JANYK Britt  1980  CAN   1:39.81
 23  33  55691 SPONRING Christine  1983  AUT   1:39.99
 24  43  565320 FERK Marusa  1988  SLO   1:40.16
 25  25  296472 FANCHINI Elena  1985  ITA   1:40.20
 26  48  565261 ROBNIK Petra  1984  SLO   1:40.27
 27  39  565360 STUHEC Ilka  1990  SLO   1:40.37
 28  29  515409 BERTHOD Sylviane  1977  SUI   1:40.41
 29  26  515429 DUMERMUTH Monika  1977  SUI   1:40.42
 30  32  55838 ZETTEL Kathrin  1986  AUT   1:40.45
 31  44  55759 KIRCHGASSER Michaela  1985  AUT   1:40.60
 32  53  505632 LINDELL-VIKARBY Jessica  1984  SWE   1:40.66
 33  51  106410 DESFORGES Emilie  1983  CAN   1:40.79
 34  55  195972 AUBERT Sandrine  1982  FRA   1:40.81
 35  35  55596 WILHELM Kathrin  1981  AUT   1:40.84
 36  59  296354 COSTAZZA Chiara  1984  ITA   1:40.88
 37  47  515782 ABDERHALDEN Marianne  1986  SUI   1:40.90
 38  45  515244 CASANOVA Carmen  1980  SUI   1:41.03
 39  34  225206 ALCOTT Chemmy  1982  GBR   1:41.18
 40  1  206175 STECHERT Gina  1987  GER   1:41.19
 41  31  155415 ZAHROBSKA Sarka  1985  CZE   1:41.28
 42  56  565315 ROBNIK Mateja  1987  SLO   1:41.45
 43  30  55588 RUMPFHUBER Ingrid  1981  AUT   1:41.48
 44  50  515997 FEIERABEND Denise  1989  SUI   1:41.52
 45  46  515692 GRAND Rabea  1984  SUI   1:41.62
 46  9  537545 MANCUSO Julia  1984  USA   1:42.00
 47  40  196573 REVILLET Aurelie  1986  FRA   1:42.08
 48  37  537582 COOK Stacey  1984  USA   1:42.26
 49  52  196812 PELLISSIER Marion  1988  FRA   1:42.28
 50  36  515348 BORGHI Catherine  1976  SUI   1:42.30
 51  54  297134 BORSOTTI Camilla  1988  ITA   1:42.57
 52  57  315149 LOLOVIC Jelena  1981  SRB   1:43.19
 53  58  515587 PUENCHERA Jessica  1982  SUI   1:44.35

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