Just a three hour drive from where the World Cup men were celebrating the “Super Bowl” of ski racing today (Jan. 22) in Kitzbuehel, Austria, the women had a classic downhill of their own in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy as Germany’s Maria Riesch returned to the top of the downhill podium on a stunning day in the majestic Italian Dolomites.

Riesch, the current overall leader and winner of this season’s first two downhills in Lake Louise, was the fastest in today’s contest by almost a full second with a time of one minute, 39.30 seconds on a day that could not have been much better for ski racing. Cloudless skies and temperatures in the teens all framed by some of the most beautiful, jagged mountain scenery in the world left fans little to ask for as Riesch showed them what a perfect downhill run looks like.

Americans Julia Mancuso (0.91 seconds back) and downhill standings leader Lindsey Vonn (one second back) joined Riesch on the podium in second and third, respectively. It was Mancuso’s 22nd career podium and her best World Cup result since finishing second here in a super G in 2008 and her first Cup downhill podium in three years. She won the silver medal in the downhill at the Vancouver Games.

“I really like Cortina so it’s always nice to be on the podium. I like it because it’s fast the whole way down especially this year with really good snow conditions,” said Mancuso, who called the race a chargefest. “Of course I always want to try and win but Maria was really fast today.”

“Julia was awesome,” said U.S. head coach Alex Hoedlmoser of Mancuso, who finished second in both of this week’s training runs and fourth in yesterday’s super G. “We’re really psyched. We knew that was in her. It was a very good effort from her and a sold run top to bottom and should definitely giver her some confidence.”

It was the first time Vonn finished lower than second in a speed race this season as she collected her 73rd career World Cup podium and 10th in Cortina. 

Vonn came into today’s race having won three consecutive races in Cortina (yesterday’s super G and last season’s downhill and super G). Her on-the-edge ways of late caught up with her as she was forced to make yet another mid-course, high-speed recovery.

“I though I had a pretty good run going on the top, then close to the bottom I caught an edge and basically was headed straight for the fence and somehow I managed to recover it,” said Vonn, who at least mildly tweaked her knee during the effort to stay on course. “My knee is hurting pretty badly right now but nothing major happened so I’m really happy about that.”

Though the save was impressive and avoided what could have been a horrific crash, the mistake proved costly at the finish line. Vonn was visibly shaken and disappointed in the finish area as she slipped 40 points (currently trails by 165 points) behind her good friend Riesch in the overall standings.  

“It’s the first time I was pretty afraid in a downhill and it doesn’t feel very good I have to say,” said Vonn, who drew gasps from the crowd with her harrowing recovery. “I’ve never been so scared before so I’m kind of in a funny mood right now. I’m just really happy I’m not hurt and I didn’t crash, but it was a tough day at the office so hopefully tomorrow is better.”

Riesch, who recorded a season low (24th) in the Val d’Isere downhill in mid-December, worked her way back to the downhill podum with a fourth-place result at the last downhill stop two weeks ago in Zauchensee. Today’s win marked the six-foot-tall, double Olympic gold medalist’s 18th career World Cup win and sixth in the downhill. She has raked in 10 podiums this season including four victories to lead Vonn 1152 to 987 in the overall standings midway through the season. She finished ninth in yesterday’s super G.

“I’m really happy with [this] race It was important for me to hit back today after the little disappointment of yesterday and also because maybe the Maribor races are totally canceled,” Riesch told Fisalpine.com. “It’s really important to make good points in speed events for me.”

Austrian Andrea Fischbacher just missed the podium in fourth place, 1.10 seconds off the winning pace. Swiss Nadja Kamer landed fifth ahead of Italian Daniela Merighetti, who finished sixth to lead six of her teammates into the points on home snow.

American Stacey Cook notched her best result of the season in 17th while teammate Leanne Smith (eighth in yesterday’s super G) tallied her seventh scoring result of the season in 26th. Chelsea Marshall finished 34th.

Britt Janyk again led the Canadian women in 24th with a time of 1:42.10.

Racer after racer reached the bottom of the 2590-meter, 43-gate Olympia Delle Tofane course doubled over and clutching their exhausted thighs. Austrian Michaela Kirchgasser’s legs gave out as she caught an edge just before the finish line and crashed into the finish area, losing her poles along the way.  

The demanding course proved to be too much for American Laurenne Ross, who crashed in the middle of the course causing the next racer up, Swede Jessica Lindell-Vikarby, to be flagged and given a rerun. Ross appeared to be uninjured after the fall. Three racers later, the action was stopped once again when German Isabelle Stiepel fell.

Sweden’s Anja Paerson, second in yesterday’s super G and a strong candidate for the win today, lost the line and missed a gate in the middle of the course. She was joined on the DNF list by Swiss power Dominique Gisin who fell at the top of the course.

World Cup racing in Cortina concludes tomorrow Jan. 23 with a second super G.

The SCOOP
By Hank McKee

Women’s World Cup Downhill, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Jan. 22, 2011
Equipment
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Riesch, Head/Lange/Head
2 Mancuso, Voelkl/Lange/Marker
3 Vonn, Head/Head/Head
4 Fischbacher, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
5 Kamer, Voelkl/Tecnica/Marker
6 Merighetti, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
7 Marchand-Arvier, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
8 Gut, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
9 Fenninger, Head/Head/Head   
10 Goergl, Head/Head/Head

Women’s World Cup Downhill, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Jan. 22, 2011. … It is the 21st race of the women’s 39 race 2011 World Cup schedule and the 19th held. … It is the fifth of nine scheduled downhills. … It is the 80th World Cup hosted at Cortina. … the 33rd downhill.  … It is the second of three scheduled races at Cortina this season.

It is the 18th career World Cup win for Maria Riesch. … Her 7th in downhill. … It is her fourth win of the season and third in DH having won both held at Lake Louise Dec. 3 and 4. … It is her 10th podium of the season having also placed second six times. … It is her second win at Cortina having claimed the SG in 2008.

It is the 22nd World Cup podium for Julia Mancuso. … her seventh at Cortina. … her sixth 2nd place finish at Cortina. … It is her ninth career Cup DH podium. ..It is her second podium of the season, the first in SG at Lake Louise Dec. 5.

It is the 73rd career World Cup podium for Lindsey Vonn. … It is her 10th podium at Cortina. … It is her 36th career Cup DH podium and her sixth at Cortina. … It is her ninth podium of the season and first third place result. … She has been second three times and won five.

It is the 19th best career result for Stacey Cook. … her 12th best in DH. … her fourth best at Cortina. … It is her best result of the seaso
n. … It is the worst of five scoring results this season for Britt Janyk. … It is the 21st career scoring result for Leanne Smith. … her seventh of the season.

Maria Riesch pads her lead in the World Cup overall standings to 1152-987 over Lindsey Vonn. … Elisabeth Goergl (10th in race) sits third overall with 592pts. … Michele-Marie Gagnon (did not race) is the top Canadian in 29th with 131pts. … Vonn leads the DH standings 420-357 over Riesch. … Mancuso is third with 217pts. … Janyk is the top Canadian in 22nd with 43pts. … Austria leads the women’s Nations Cup 2907-2313 over Germany. … The U.S. is third with 1871. … Canada is 10th with 276pts.