Germany’s Reisch takes Haus downhill; USST’s Clark injured in crashGerman teenager Maria Riesch captured the women’s downhill at Haus Im Ennstal, Austria, on Friday, her first World Cup win in only her second season.

The race, however, was marred by a high-speed crash by American Kirsten Clark, who careered into the safety netting after landing off balance from the first jump. Clark, the third American to crash out of the race held under partly sunny skies, was taken to a hospital by helicopter.

She broke her right wrist and suffered ligament damage in both knees, according to the U.S. Ski Team. She was undergoing wrist surgery in a Salzburg Hospital and was expected to be sidelined indefinitely.

Bryna McCarty had her best-ever World Cup finish in fifth place and Caroline Lalive was 11th to lead the U.S. Alison Powers finished 27th, Jonna Mendes 30th and, in her World Cup debut, Stacey Cook 41st.

Riesch, 19, fastest in the final training run, locked into a tight tuck down the Krummholz course, the longest on the women’s tour at 3.1-kilometers, to clock a winning time of 1:39.30.

Experienced Italian Isolde Kostner had to settle for second, 0.46 seconds off the pace, while pre-race favourite and defending champion Renate Goetschl of Austria was third on 1:39.78.

“Bryna did an outstanding job,” said head DH/SG coach Alex Hoedlmoser. “She was super-fast on the top and carried that sped through the technical sections. It was outstanding skiing.”

In additiion to Clark, Lindsey Kildow crashed off a jump on the upper portion of the Krummholz course and Libby Ludlow went down in the middle of the course.

“Lindsey and Clarky went down on the upper portion, coming off a jump before a compression. Libby crashed farther down the course,” Hoedlmoser said. “Clarky carried more distance off the jump, almost into the compression, and went into the nets.”

Alpine World Cup

Women’s Downhill

Haus Im Ennstall, Austria

January 30, 2004

1. Maria Riesch (Germany) 1:39.30

2. Isolde Kostner (Italy) 1:39.76

3. Renate Goetschl (Austria) 1:39.78

4. Hilde Gerg (Germany) 1:40.06

5. Bryna McCarty (U.S.) 1:40.26

6. Nadia Styger (Switzerland) 1:40.30

7. Carole Montillet (France) 1:40.41

8. Fraenzi Aufdenblatten (Switzerland) 1:40.55

9. Michaela Dorfmeister (Austria) 1:40.62

10. Petra Haltmayr (Germany) 1:40.87

11. Caroline Lalive (U.S.) 1:40.93

12. Sylviane Berthod (Switzerland) 1:41.03

13. Daniela Ceccarelli (Italy) 1:41.05

14. Emily Brydon (Canada) 1:41.07

15= Catherine Borghi (Switzerland) 1:41.29

15= Wendy Siorpaes (Italy) 1:41.29

17. Alexandra Meissnitzer (Austria) 1:41.31

18. Isabelle Huber (Germany) 1:41.32

19. Anne Marie Lefrancois (Canada) 1:41.33

20. Melanie Suchet (France) 1:41.46

21. Martina Schild (Switzerland) 1:41.52

22. Chimene Alcott (Britain) 1:41.55

23. Ingrid Jacquemod (France) 1:41.58

24. Barbara Kleon (Italy) 1:41.67

25. Tanja Schneider (Austria) 1:41.79

26. Kathrin Wilhelm (Austria) 1:41.86

27. Alison Powers (U.S.) 1:41.87

28. Ellen Hild (Germany) 1:42.11

29. Anne-Laure Givelet (France) 1:42.14

30. Jonna Mendes (U.S.) 1:42.16

Other North Americans:

36. Genevieve Simard (Canada) 1:42.79

41. Stacey Cook (U.S.) 1:43.66

DNS: Kelly Vanderbeek (Canada)

DNF: Lindsey Kildow, Libby Ludlow, Kirsten Clark (U.S.)

THE SCOOP

> by Hank McKee

Equipment, Women’s Downhill

Haus Im Ennstal, Austria, January 30, 2004

Skier, skis/boots/bindings

1 Riesch, Head/Lange/Tyrolia

2 Kostner, Fischer/Lange/Tyrolia

3 Goetschl, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

4 Gerg, Volkl/Lange/Marker

5 McCarty, Dynastar/Lange/Look

6 Styger, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

7 Montillet, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol

8 Aufdenblatten, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

9 Dorfmeister, Blizzard/Nordica/Marker

10 Haltmayr, Atomic/Lange/Atomic

The 23rd race of the women’s 36-race World Cup schedule, and the seventh of nine scheduled DH’s. … It is the first win of the season for Head skis. … The fourth win of the season for Germany.

Maria Riesch gets her first career win, and third podium of the season. … She is the fifth first-time winner of the season after Bjarne Solbakken, Denise Karbon, Davide Simoncelli and Genevieve Simard. … (Michael Walchhofer also won his first race, but had a combined victory from 2003). … It’s the first German World Cup win in 13 held at Haus im Ennstal.

The 48th career podium for Isolde Kostner, but her best result this season (previous best: seventh). … Her first podium since 11/29/02. … It’s the 76th career podium for Renate Goetschl and her 10th of the season. … She has two wins, two seconds, two thirds and a 13th place finish in the seven DH’s to date.

Just the fourth career scoring finish for Bryna McCarty, and her best-ever finsh. Her previous World Cup best was 25th. … All three of her other results have come at races in Lake Louise, Alberta. … The 27th top 11 result for Caroline Lalive, and sixth of the season. … It is the eighth scoring finish of Alison Power’s career, and second of season. The first was on December 6.

It is the seventh scoring result for Jonna Mendes this season. … It’s the 12th scoring finish of the season for Emily Brydon and matches her third best result of the season, 10th best career. …It is the 10th career scoring finish for Anne Marie LeFrancois and fourth of the season. … The first World Cup scoring finishes for German Ellen Hild (28th) and Italian Wendy Siorpaes (15th). … Three Americans (Kirsten Clark, Lindsey Kildow and Libby Ludlow) are among the eight skiers who did not finish.

Anja Paerson maintains the World Cup overall lead 998-953 over Renate Goetschl. … Hilde Gerg is third at 818. … Top American is Clark in 10th at 456. … Goetschl leads the women’s DH standings 500-485 over Gerg. … Carole Montillet is third at 452. … Clark in sixth leads the U.S. with 228. … Austria leads the Nations Cup standings 11460-3296 over the U.S. … The Swiss are third at 3263. … Austria leads the women’s standings 4482-2548 over Germany. … USA is fourth at 1562.