Lake Louise: Kildow wins DH for 3rd straight year

Lindsey Kildow secured a downhill victory Saturday at Lake Louise as the U.S. Ski Team savors a stellar week in North America. On the heels of a second-place finish in Friday’s first World Cup downhill — and Bode Miller’s dramatic win at Beaver  Creek — Kildow won by a whopping 1.33 seconds. Racing in bib No. 30 and the last of the big guns, Kildow overtook Austria’s Renate Goetschl by a stunning margin.
    Swiss skier Nadia Styger, starting 22nd, saw her lead vanish when Swedish great Anja Paerson rocketed down in the 28th start spot. One racer later, Goetschl sizzled home in 1 minute, 50.17 seconds. But Kildow, winner of Lake Louise downhills in 2004 and 2005, gained time at every interval and finished in a remarkable 1:48.84.
    “I didn’t honestly expect to do as well,” Kildow said. “I was pretty nervous in the start. I knew some of the earlier girls had good runs. I just told myself not to think about it. Just go as fast as you can."
    “She had a remarkable race,” USSA President Bill Marolt said. “I think that she’s dedicated herself. She works hard, she’s very serious, takes a very professional approach. And she’s one of those athletes who’s just going to build on every success and get better and better.”

LAKE LOUISE, Alberta, Canada — Lindsey Kildow secured a downhill victory Saturday at Lake Louise as the U.S. Ski Team savors a stellar week in North America.
    On the heels of a second-place finish in Friday’s first World Cup downhill — and Bode Miller’s dramatic win at Beaver  Creek — Kildow won by a whopping 1.33 seconds. Racing in bib No. 30 and the last of the big guns, Kildow overtook Austria’s Renate Goetschl by a stunning margin.
    Swiss skier Nadia Styger, starting 22nd, saw her lead vanish when Swedish great Anja Paerson rocketed down in the 28th start spot. One racer later, Goetschl sizzled home in 1 minute, 50.17 seconds. But Kildow, winner of Lake Louise downhills in 2004 and 2005, gained time at every interval and finished in a remarkable 1:48.84.
    "I don't know [how I skied differently from Friday]," Kildow said. "I was just going for it — I gave it everything I had. I was really shocked. I was really excited I was first. I couldn't believe I was that far ahead.
    “I didn’t honestly expect to do as well. I was pretty nervous in the start. I knew some of the earlier girls had good runs. I just told myself not to think about it. Just go as fast as you can.”
    “She had a remarkable race,” USSA President Bill Marolt said. “I think that she’s dedicated herself. She works hard, she’s very serious, takes a very professional approach. And she’s one of those athletes who’s just going to build on every success and get better and better.”Germany’s Maria Riesch, who had missed most of the last two seasons with knee injuries, won Friday’s opening women’s downhill race of the season.
    In addition to her two downhill wins at Lake Louise in 2004 and 2005, Kildow was third in a super G last year.
    “I have so much confidence,” she said. “I know this hill inside out. I know every bump and every turn of this course. Maybe that’s why I’m so confident and solid on my skis here.”
    The weekend of racing wraps up Sunday with a super G.
    It is the 15th career podium and fifth World Cup win for Kildow and her fifth podium from Lake Louise, where she has won twice (Dec. 3, 2004, and Dec. 3, 2005).
    Julia Mancuso was 10th, Stacey Cook 24th, Kirsten Clark 30th, Libby Ludlow 41st and Julia Littman 53rd.
    Friday, Kildow was second and Stacey Cook, fourth, while in Colorado, Miller won with teammate Steve Nyman third. Ted Ligety podiumed Saturday, too, taking third in GS.

— SR's Hilary Lund contributed to this report

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THE SCOOP

By Hank McKee

Equipment
Women’s DH, Lake Louise, Dec. 2, 2006
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Kildow, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
2 Goetschl, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
3 Paerson, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
4 Styger, Volkl/Lange/Marker
5 Fischbacher, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
6 Berthod, Dynastar/Lange/Look
7 Fanchini, Dynastar/Lange/Look
8 Meissnitzer, Volkl/Fischer/Marker
9 Riesch, Head/Lange/Tyrolia
10 Mancuso, Rossignol/Lange/Rossignol

Women’s Downhill, Lake Louise, Alberta, Dec. 2, 2006. … It is the fifth race of the women’s 36 event 2007 World Cup schedule. … It is the second of nine scheduled Women’s downhills. … It is the fourth of five World Cup races scheduled this season at Lake Louise. … The second of three for women with a Super G remaining to contest.
    It is the fifth career victory for Lindsey Kildow and her third DH win at Lake Louise in three seasons. … It is her fifth podium at Lake Louise the first a win Dec. 3, 2004, the most recent a second a day ago. … It is the 164^th U.S. World Cup win. … The second this season after Bode Miller’s DH win at Beaver Creek a day ago. … Kildow moves into a tie for ninth on the all-time U.S. win list with Cristin Cooper and Kiki Cutter. … She is one win behind Kristina Koznick and Cindy Nelson. … Four of her five wins have come in December.
    It is the 91^st podium for Renate Goetschl. … Her 49^th in DH. … her 11^th at Lake Louise. … Her eighth in DH at Lake Louise. … Her first Lake Louise podium occurred Dec. 4, 1997. … She had won at Lake Louise four times, twice in DH and twice in SG, the most recent Dec. 7, 2003.
    It is the 71^st career podium for Anja Paerson. … Her third in DH. … It is her first podium at Lake Louise. … The top three racers started in order at the end of the first seed with Paerson starting 28^th, Goetschl 29^th and Kildow 30^th.
    It is the 30^th career top 10 for Julia Mancuso. … Her seventh in downhill. … Her third at Lake Louise, the others a fourth in DH Dec. 2, 2005 and ninth in SG Dec. 5, 2004. … It is the 16^th time Emily Brydon has finished 11^th or better in a World Cup race. .. It is her second best showing ever at Lake Louise, the better result in SG Dec. 8, 2002. … It is her best result since Dec. 2005. … 18^th matches the 13^th best result for Kelly Vanderbeek. .. It is her fourth best of seven scoring finishes at Lake Louise. … It is the 10^th career scoring result for Stacey Cook. … Her fourth at Lake Louise. … It is the fifth career DH result for Genevieve Simard. … Her lone Cup win came in SG at Cortina Jan. 14, 2004. … It is the 122^nd World Cup scoring result for Kirsten Clark.
    Winning margin is 1.33 seconds. … Sixth place was more than two seconds out. … Nicole Hosp (18^th in race) leads the women’s overall standings 255-237 over Marlies Schild (11^th in race). … Kild
ow is the top American in fourth with 195pts ten behind Kathrin Zettel (did not race). … Kildow leads the DH standings 195-129 over Maria Riesch (9^th in race) with Goetschl third at 95.

Lake Louise women's World Cup downhill No. 2 results

Rank	Bib	FIS Code	Name	Year	Nation	Total Time	FIS Points
1	30	537544	KILDOW Lindsey C	1984	USA	1:48.84	0.00
2	29	55069	GOETSCHL Renate	1975	AUT	1:50.17	16.50
3	28	505483	PAERSON Anja	1981	SWE	1:50.56	21.33
4	22	515170	STYGER Nadia	1978	SUI	1:50.70	23.07
5	14	55750	FISCHBACHER Andrea	1985	AUT	1:50.77	23.94
6	25	515409	BERTHOD Sylviane	1977	SUI	1:50.88	25.30
7	17	296472	FANCHINI Elena	1985	ITA	1:50.96	26.30
8	27	55212	MEISSNITZER Alexandra	1973	AUT	1:51.14	28.53
9	20	206001	RIESCH Maria	1984	GER	1:51.23	29.64
10	21	537545	MANCUSO Julia	1984	USA	1:51.40	31.75
11	35	105997	BRYDON Emily	1980	CAN	1:51.49	32.87
11	31	55590	SCHILD Marlies	1981	AUT	1:51.49	32.87
13	2	225206	ALCOTT Chemmy	1982	GBR	1:51.54	33.49
14	26	515573	AUFDENBLATTEN Fraenzi	1981	SUI	1:51.56	33.74
15	24	296729	FANCHINI Nadia	1986	ITA	1:51.57	33.86
16	9	55588	RUMPFHUBER Ingrid	1981	AUT	1:51.74	35.97
17	43	206035	CHMELAR Fanny	1985	GER	1:51.79	36.59
18	15	55690	HOSP Nicole	1983	AUT	1:51.84	37.21
18	8	106402	VANDERBEEK Kelly	1983	CAN	1:51.84	37.21
20	56	495318	RUIZ CASTILLO Carolina	1981	SPA	1:51.86	37.46
21	44	55596	WILHELM Kathrin	1981	AUT	1:51.90	37.95
22	18	295533	RECCHIA Lucia	1980	ITA	1:51.97	38.82
23	5	195671	JACQUEMOD Ingrid	1978	FRA	1:52.05	39.82
24	54	565278	RABIC Urska	1985	SLO	1:52.11	40.56
24	13	537582	COOK Stacey J	1984	USA	1:52.11	40.56
26	55	106022	JANYK Britt	1980	CAN	1:52.12	40.68
27	39	206175	STECHERT Gina	1987	GER	1:52.22	41.92
27	11	515348	BORGHI Catherine	1976	SUI	1:52.22	41.92
29	32	106056	SIMARD Genevieve	1980	CAN	1:52.25	42.30
30	10	536138	CLARK Kirsten L	1977	USA	1:52.41	44.28
31	34	55383	BLASER Karin	1979	AUT	1:52.44	44.65
32	4	515244	CASANOVA Carmen	1980	SUI	1:52.50	45.40
33	40	106666	RUBENS Shona	1986	CAN	1:52.51	45.52
34	50	196460	MARCHAND-ARVIER Marie	1985	FRA	1:52.55	46.02
35	16	515560	SCHILD Martina	1981	SUI	1:52.59	46.51
36	42	296473	SIORPAES Wendy	1985	ITA	1:52.66	47.38
37	48	296427	SCHNARF Johanna	1984	ITA	1:52.71	48.00
38	36	196412	WEYRICH Clothilde	1985	FRA	1:52.72	48.13
39	49	375018	COLETTI Alexandra	1983	MON	1:52.83	49.49
40	3	515429	DUMERMUTH Monika	1977	SUI	1:52.95	50.98
41	57	536884	LUDLOW Libby	1981	USA	1:53.15	53.46
42	59	255098	KRISTJANSDOTTIR Dagny L.	1980	ISL	1:53.24	54.58
43	37	515478	ALPIGER Ella	1979	SUI	1:53.29	55.20
44	7	296008	MERIGHETTI Daniela	1981	ITA	1:53.31	55.44
45	45	195837	MATTEL Magda	1980	FRA	1:53.34	55.82
46	23	55576	GOERGL Elisabeth	1981	AUT	1:53.44	57.06
47	38	505260	HARGIN Janette	1977	SWE	1:53.48	57.55
48	19	505449	BENT Nike	1981	SWE	1:53.53	58.17
49	12	205119	HALTMAYR Petra	1975	GER	1:53.74	60.78
50	46	297134	BORSOTTI Camilla	1988	ITA	1:53.79	61.40
51	1	106465	LAWRENCE Sherry	1984	CAN	1:54.23	66.86
52	51	205843	STEMMER Stefanie	1981	GER	1:54.28	67.48
53	47	537672	LITTMAN Julia	1984	USA	1:54.59	71.32
54	60	106662	POLESCHUK Danielle	1986	CAN	1:54.76	73.43
55	33	195983	ROLLAND Marion	1982	FRA	1:55.45	81.99
56	61	296259	MOELGG Manuela	1983	ITA	1:56.50	95.01
57	53	155559	CHAROVA Tereza	1989	CZE	1:59.14	127.76

Did not start 1st run :

LINDELL-VIKARBY Jessica (SWE)

Did not finish 1st run :

ROBNIK Petra (SLO), MAZZOTTI Lucia (ITA), GISIN Dominique (SUI)