Maze gets her championship in Worlds GS
The relief was palpable. After two silver medals at last season’s Olympic Games, a silver medal at the last World Championships, and a silver medal here, “Silver” Tina Maze finally got her gold, winning the giant slalom today (Feb. 17) in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, the first gold in history for Slovenia.
The first skier out of the start in the first run of the delayed GS, Maze smoked the course, then stood stoically in the leaders box, straight-faced watching 116 skiers from 48 nations try to best her time. Few even came close. Italian 20 year old Federica Brignone got within a third of a second and Elisabeth Goergl was 0.71 in the first heat, but it was clear Maze – a nine-time World Cup winner – was the premier racer of the run.
“It felt like forever up there,” said Maze about the two-hour first run delay caused by a fog that drifted up and down the course. “Every half hour it was delayed again. … It was not good for the concentration.”
When the time finally came to start, Maze said, “I felt like a bull. I couldn’t wait to get going. I wanted the speed and to show what I could do.”
What she could do was dust the bulk of the competition.
In the second run, French wonder Tessa Worley, only 19th fastest in run 1, saw no reason to hold back. The winner of three straight World Cup GS’s from November through January, Worley smoothly attacked, putting up a time that would withstand racers with more than a second and half advantage on her from the first heat and earned her the bronze medal.
“I put all my hear in the second run. I was so disappointed after the first run,” said Worley, a leader on the winning French team in yesterday’s team event . “I am so happy. This is the biggest success of my career so far.”
Brignone, with just nine World Cup scoring results to her credit including two podiums, came after Worley with an enthusiasm fueled by a four medal performance from Italy’s men. She was the first to take Worley’s lead away, by 0.39 seconds. Her mother Maria Rosa Quario, a four-time World Cup winner in the late 70s and early 80s, was close at hand in the finish area working as journalist for the Italian magazine Sciare.
“My mom and grandmother were there in the finish and I had no idea what was going on,” said Brignone. “I knew I had to just clear my head from how well the first run went and go for it.”
The real lead, however, was still in the starthouse and Maze was not to be denied the top step again. The Slovene got the win by a scant 0.09 seconds and her stoic facade vanished. A smile radiated her face and she strode to the center of the finish area before the packed stadium, waved to the crowd and did a handspring celebrating like a teenager.
“It is the first gold medal for Slovenia,” said Maze “and I thought, ‘That’s over now. That’s enough’.” (Yugoslavia won a gold medal with Mateja Svet in 1989). For my country I finally show that even if it is a small country we can still be on top. It makes a difference. … we can show a little arrogance.”
Behind Brignone the Italians were a force with Denise Karbon – a two time medalist in GS – in fourth and Manuela Moelgg sixth.
The German women were well supported with a crowd of 15,000 on hand. World Cup overall leader and two-time bronze medalist at these Championships, Maria Riesch had recovered from her flu to finish fourth in the first run but slipped to her left hip while attacking a tight turn and failed to recover. Winner of this season’s only two World Cup GS races not topped by Worley, Viktoria Rebensburg ended up leading the home team in fifth. Lena Duerr landed 18th.
The best American hope was Julia Mancuso and she simply could not find the speed to challenge, winding up 16th. Sarah Schleper finished 21st. Megan McJames was saddled by missing the top 30 flip and finished 34th. Lindsey Vonn pulled out of the event after taking silver in the downhill to continue to recover from a recent concussion,
“The second run was really turny on the pitch and this hill has such a long flat that I think it just makes such a difference if you’re carrying speed or not,” said Mancuso of the course. “The snow is softer today, so you can’t generate any speed, you just have to take what you have from the pitch and hold on to it.”
“When you’re looking at a GS course especially, it’s a matter of hundredths per turn. In a GS, there are 50-60 gates and when you’re on, you’re on,” continued Mancuso, who skied down to James Brown’s Living in America. “If you’re off, you add up those hundredths from all those gates and you’ve lost a second.”
The Canadians struggled all day and placed in a bunch with Marie-Michele Gagnon in 23rd, Marie-Pier Prefontaine 24th and Britt Janyk 28th.
Women’s World Championship competition will conclude Saturday Feb. 19 with the slalom.
The SCOOP
By Hank McKee
Women’s World Championship Giant Slalom, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Feb. 17, 2011
Equipment
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Maze, Stoeckli/Lange/Atomic
2 Brignone, Rossignol/Lange/Rossignol
3 Worley, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
4 Karbon, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
5 Rebensburg, Nordica/Nordica/Marker
6 Moelgg, Rossignol/Lange/Rossignol
7 Lindell-Vikarby, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
8 Schild, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
9 Paerson, Head/Head/Head
10 Barioz, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
10 Goergl, Head/Head/Head
Women’s World Championship Giant Slalom, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Feb. 17, 2011. … It is the seventh of 11 scheduled events. … The fourth of five women’s races. … It is the 45th giant slalom held in World Championship history.
It is the first World Championship fotr Tina Maze and her third World Championship medal having won silver medals in GS in 2009 and in combined four days ago. … She also owns two silver Olympic medals, both from 2010, in super G and GS. … It is the first World Championship for Slovenia, although Mateja Svet won gold in slalom in 1989 before her region of Yugoslavia became Slovenia. … Maze has won nine World Cup races. … eight of them in GS.
It is the first career World Championship medal for Federica Brignone. … the 52nd for Italy and the fifth for Italy at these World Championships. … She has two career World Cup podium results including her personal best 2nd in GS at Arber-Zwiesel Feb. 6.
It is the first career World Championship medal for Tessa Worley. … Her only other result a seventh, also in GS, from 2009. … She has five World Cup GS wins, three from this season. … It is the 96th French World Championship medal including the team medal from this championship.
Medal Count
Austria 5 (3gold, 2 silver)
Italy 5 (1 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze)
Slovenia 2 (1 gold, 1 silver)
France 2 (1 gold, 1 bronze)
Canada 1 (1 gold)
Norway 1 (1 gold)
USA 2 (2 silver)
Switzerland 1 (1 silver)
Germany 2 (2 bronze)
Sweden 2 (2 bronze)
Croatia 1 (1 bronze)
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Rank | Bib | FIS Code | Name | Year | Nation | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total Time | FIS Points |
1 | 1 | 565243 | MAZE Tina | 1983 | SLO | 1:07.05 | 1:13.49 | 2:20.54 | 0.00 |
2 | 9 | 297601 | BRIGNONE Federica | 1990 | ITA | 1:07.39 | 1:13.24 | 2:20.63 | 0.56 |
3 | 3 | 196928 | WORLEY Tessa | 1989 | FRA | 1:09.17 | 1:11.85 | 2:21.02 | 2.97 |
4 | 20 | 295445 | KARBON Denise | 1980 | ITA | 1:08.24 | 1:13.04 | 2:21.28 | 4.58 |
5 | 6 | 205218 | REBENSBURG Viktoria | 1989 | GER | 1:08.04 | 1:13.38 | 2:21.42 | 5.45 |
6 | 13 | 296259 | MOELGG Manuela | 1983 | ITA | 1:07.99 | 1:13.44 | 2:21.43 | 5.51 |
7 | 26 | 505632 | LINDELL-VIKARBY Jessica | 1984 | SWE | 1:08.94 | 1:12.61 | 2:21.55 | 6.25 |
8 | 19 | 55590 | SCHILD Marlies | 1981 | AUT | 1:09.16 | 1:12.58 | 2:21.74 | 7.43 |
9 | 16 | 505483 | PAERSON Anja | 1981 | SWE | 1:08.23 | 1:13.52 | 2:21.75 | 7.49 |
10 | 14 | 196725 | BARIOZ Taina | 1988 | FRA | 1:09.59 | 1:12.20 | 2:21.79 | 7.74 |
10 | 8 | 55576 | GOERGL Elisabeth | 1981 | AUT | 1:07.76 | 1:14.03 | 2:21.79 | 7.74 |
12 | 5 | 55838 | ZETTEL Kathrin | 1986 | AUT | 1:08.04 | 1:13.80 | 2:21.84 | 8.05 |
13 | 2 | 185140 | POUTIAINEN Tanja | 1980 | FIN | 1:08.59 | 1:13.29 | 2:21.88 | 8.30 |
14 | 12 | 196793 | MARMOTTAN Anemone | 1988 | FRA | 1:08.54 | 1:13.80 | 2:22.34 | 11.14 |
15 | 31 | 705287 | ZUZULOVA Veronika | 1984 | SVK | 1:09.76 | 1:12.81 | 2:22.57 | 12.57 |
16 | 11 | 537545 | MANCUSO Julia | 1984 | USA | 1:08.82 | 1:13.77 | 2:22.59 | 12.69 |
17 | 27 | 506399 | HECTOR Sara | 1992 | SWE | 1:10.37 | 1:12.30 | 2:22.67 | 13.19 |
18 | 24 | 206355 | DUERR Lena | 1991 | GER | 1:08.94 | 1:13.75 | 2:22.69 | 13.31 |
19 | 29 | 196726 | BARTHET Anne-Sophie | 1988 | FRA | 1:09.55 | 1:13.18 | 2:22.73 | 13.56 |
20 | 17 | 516138 | GUT Lara | 1991 | SUI | 1:08.91 | 1:13.92 | 2:22.83 | 14.18 |
21 | 21 | 536481 | SCHLEPER Sarah | 1979 | USA | 1:09.75 | 1:13.12 | 2:22.87 | 14.42 |
22 | 10 | 505760 | PIETILAE-HOLMNER Maria | 1986 | SWE | 1:09.15 | 1:13.87 | 2:23.02 | 15.35 |
23 | 22 | 105269 | GAGNON Marie-Michele | 1989 | CAN | 1:09.95 | 1:13.37 | 2:23.32 | 17.21 |
24 | 25 | 106825 | PREFONTAINE Marie-Pier | 1988 | CAN | 1:09.91 | 1:13.58 | 2:23.49 | 18.26 |
25 | 15 | 55750 | FISCHBACHER Andrea | 1985 | AUT | 1:09.13 | 1:14.40 | 2:23.53 | 18.51 |
26 | 39 | 565320 | FERK Marusa | 1988 | SLO | 1:10.35 | 1:13.70 | 2:24.05 | 21.73 |
27 | 23 | 296509 | CURTONI Irene | 1985 | ITA | 1:09.56 | 1:14.50 | 2:24.06 | 21.79 |
28 | 35 | 106022 | JANYK Britt | 1980 | CAN | 1:10.18 | 1:15.55 | 2:25.73 | 32.13 |
29 | 41 | 516280 | HOLDENER Wendy | 1993 | SUI | 1:10.63 | 1:15.17 | 2:25.80 | 32.56 |
30 | 28 | 206174 | STABER Veronika | 1987 | GER | 1:10.80 | 1:15.12 | 2:25.92 | 33.30 |
31 | 32 | 495065 | RIENDA Maria Jose | 1975 | SPA | 1:11.24 | 1:15.13 | 2:26.37 | 36.09 |
32 | 48 | 495763 | JARDI Andrea | 1990 | SPA | 1:11.03 | 1:15.52 | 2:26.55 | 37.20 |
33 | 36 | 495318 | RUIZ CASTILLO Carolina | 1981 | SPA | 1:10.93 | 1:15.98 | 2:26.91 | 39.43 |
34 | 30 | 538284 | MCJAMES Megan | 1987 | USA | 1:11.13 | 1:16.49 | 2:27.62 | 43.83 |
35 | 43 | 515997 | FEIERABEND Denise | 1989 | SUI | 1:11.37 | 1:16.61 | 2:27.98 | 46.06 |
36 | 44 | 705377 | SAALOVA Kristina | 1991 | SVK | 1:12.22 | 1:16.44 | 2:28.66 | 50.27 |
37 | 51 | 155699 | PAULATHOVA Katerina | 1993 | CZE | 1:12.10 | 1:16.71 | 2:28.81 | 51.19 |
38 | 52 | 705349 | GANTNEROVA Jana | 1989 | SVK | 1:12.01 | 1:17.29 | 2:29.30 | 54.23 |
39 | 46 | 485525 | BUREEVA Vladislava | 1989 | RUS | 1:12.83 | 1:16.63 | 2:29.46 | 55.22 |
40 | 37 | 306096 | HOSHI Mizue | 1985 | JPN | 1:10.43 | 1:19.53 | 2:29.96 | 58.31 |
41 | 34 | 306249 | HASEGAWA Emi | 1986 | JPN | 1:12.67 | 1:17.58 | 2:30.25 | 60.11 |
42 | 62 | 715123 | NOVAKOVIC Zana | 1985 | BIH | 1:13.05 | 1:17.24 | 2:30.29 | 60.36 |
43 | 42 | 385041 | NOVOSELIC Sofija | 1990 | CRO | 1:13.18 | 1:17.40 | 2:30.58 | 62.15 |
44 | 49 | 705378 | SKVARKOVA Jana | 1991 | SVK | 1:13.63 | 1:17.22 | 2:30.85 | 63.82 |
45 | 40 | 35079 | SIMARI BIRKNER Maria Belen | 1982 | ARG | 1:13.14 | 1:17.84 | 2:30.98 | 64.63 |
46 | 50 | 305962 | HANAOKA Moe | 1984 | JPN | 1:13.20 | 1:18.56 | 2:31.76 | 69.46 |
47 | 65 | 665009 | SHKANOVA Maria | 1989 | BLR | 1:13.86 | 1:18.28 | 2:32.14 | 71.81 |
48 | 55 | 435142 | KARASINSKA Katarzyna | 1982 | POL | 1:13.92 | 1:18.46 | 2:32.38 | 73.29 |
49 | 59 | 155431 | MARKOVA Daniela | 1985 | CZE | 1:13.78 | 1:18.87 | 2:32.65 | 74.97 |
50 | 58 | 315187 | IGNJATOVIC Nevena | 1990 | SRB | 1:14.38 | 1:18.56 | 2:32.94 | 76.76 |
51 | 80 | 95050 | KIRKOVA Maria | 1986 | BUL | 1:13.70 | 1:19.56 | 2:33.26 | 78.74 |
52 | 77 | 695063 | MATSOTSKA Bogdana | 1989 | UKR | 1:14.21 | 1:19.18 | 2:33.39 | 79.55 |
53 | 68 | 245059 | DOEME Zsofia | 1992 | HUN | 1:14.57 | 1:18.93 | 2:33.50 | 80.23 |
54 | 67 | 155728 | DUBOVSKA Martina | 1992 | CZE | 1:14.62 | 1:19.95 | 2:34.57 | 86.85 |
Disqualified 2nd run | |||||||||
56 | 355058 | BUEHLER Anna-Laura | 1994 | LIE | |||||
Disqualified 1st run | |||||||||
104 | 235133 | MAVRIDOU Paraskevi | 1990 | GRE | |||||
102 | 125016 | LIU Yu | 1985 | CHN | |||||
84 | 125026 | LIU Yang | 1988 | CHN | |||||
Did not start 2nd run | |||||||||
7 | 205993 | HOELZL Kathrin | 1984 | GER | |||||
Did not start 1st run | |||||||||
98 | 715132 | KLEPIC Maja | 1988 | BIH | |||||
18 | 515766 | SUTER Fabienne | 1985 | SUI | |||||
Did not qualify 1st run | |||||||||
115 | 575006 | BAUER Laura | 1993 | RSA | |||||
114 | 775003 | VOLKOVA Irina | 1987 | KGZ | |||||
113 | 175038 | LIBAK NIELSEN Anne | 1992 | DAN | |||||
112 | 265005 | KALHOR Mitra | 1985 | IRA | |||||
111 | 345070 | EKMEKEJIAN Sarah | 1991 | LIB | |||||
110 | 265004 | KIADARBANDSARI Fatemeh | 1982 | IRA | |||||
109 | 775002 | ZVOZNIKOVA Lida | 1988 | KGZ | |||||
108 | 215019 | BARANOVA Tatjana | 1993 | UZB | |||||
107 | 265013 | KALHOR Ziba | 1991 | IRA | |||||
106 | 215020 | BARANOVA Svetlana | 1993 | UZB | |||||
105 | 245062 | HELLNER Donata | 1993 | HUN | |||||
103 | 245048 | HELLNER Szelina | 1986 | HUN | |||||
100 | 175024 | FJELLVANG-SOELLING Sophie | 1981 | DAN | |||||
99 | 265006 | KALHOR Marjan | 1988 | IRA | |||||
97 | 555016 | FIMBAUERE Liene | 1989 | LAT | |||||
96 | 85024 | MARANO Chiara | 1993 | BRA | |||||
95 | 955000 | OETTL REYES Ornella | 1991 | PER | |||||
94 | 215007 | GRIGOREVA Kseniya | 1987 | UZB | |||||
93 | 285015 | KIEK-GEDALYAHU Ronnie | 1993 | ISR | |||||
92 | 175042 | MADSEN Malene | 1993 | DAN | |||||
91 | 285014 | HIRSHFELD Yom | 1991 | ISR | |||||
88 | 235230 | VALCAREGGI Nicole | 1991 | GRE | |||||
87 | 525033 | DASDEMIR Tugba | 1985 | TUR | |||||
86 | 145003 | KRONE Kristina | 1990 | PUR | |||||
85 | 465058 | CRACIUN Iulia Petruta | 1988 | ROU | |||||
83 | 465060 | NAREA Sandra-Elena | 1988 | ROU | |||||
82 | 65090 | VAN BUYNDER Isabel | 1991 | BEL | |||||
81 | 555018 | GASUNA Lelde | 1990 | LAT | |||||
78 | 685018 | TSIKLAURI Nino | 1993 | GEO | |||||
75 | 35156 | BANCORA Salome | 1993 | ARG | |||||
74 | 35089 | SIMARI BIRKNER Macarena | 1984 | ARG | |||||
73 | 125021 | XIA Lina | 1987 | CHN | |||||
72 | 45216 | CHRYSTAL Lavinia | 1989 | AUS | |||||
66 | 415128 | JARVIS Sarah | 1986 | NZE | |||||
64 | 435189 | KLUS Aleksandra | 1986 | POL | |||||
61 | 245051 | BERECZ Anna | 1988 | HUN | |||||
45 | 385052 | PALIC Tea | 1991 | CRO | |||||
Did not finish 2nd run | |||||||||
69 | 255258 | GUDMUNDSDOTTIR Iris | 1990 | ISL | |||||
47 | 355052 | SCHAEDLER Vanessa | 1990 | LIE | |||||
38 | 355055 | BUEHLER Rebecca | 1992 | LIE | |||||
4 | 206001 | RIESCH Maria | 1984 | GER | |||||
Did not finish 1st run | |||||||||
116 | 745007 | MAGHAKYAN Siranush | 1992 | ARM | |||||
101 | 235110 | RALLI Sophia | 1988 | GRE | |||||
90 | 125022 | QIN Xiyue | 1988 | CHN | |||||
89 | 555017 | BENHENA Evija | 1989 | LAT | |||||
79 | 35112 | QUIROGA Julietta | 1988 | ARG | |||||
76 | 255284 | KRISTJANSDOTTIR Katrin | 1991 | ISL | |||||
71 | 45268 | PILAT Elizabeth | 1992 | AUS | |||||
70 | 85022 | HARRISSON Maya | 1992 | BRA | |||||
63 | 405092 | HERWERDEN VAN Michelle | 1990 | NED | |||||
60 | 155586 | KMOCHOVA Tereza | 1990 | CZE | |||||
57 | 107068 | PHELAN Brittany | 1991 | CAN | |||||
54 | 25096 | GUTIERREZ Mireia | 1988 | AND | |||||
53 | 435245 | CHRAPEK Karolina | 1990 | POL | |||||
33 | 435210 | GASIENICA DANIEL Agnieszka | 1987 | POL |