San Sicario: Goetschl unstoppable in DH sweep

Jan 27, 2007

Renate Goetschl won her third straight downhill Saturday and moved atop the overall World Cup standings. It was the second win in two days for Goetschl, who won a super G here Friday, and she said her skis felt like ''rockets.''
    Elisabeth Goergl was second, 1.17 seconds behind, and Maria Holaus was third, 1.35 seconds back, for her first podium finish. Lindsey Kildow was fourth and American teammate Julia Mancuso was fifth.


SAN SICARIO, Italy — Renate Goetschl won her third straight downhill Saturday and moved atop the overall World Cup standings. It was the second win in two days for Goetschl, who won a super G here Friday, and she said her skis felt like ''rockets.''
    ''I can ski here really relaxed. I didn't think a lot. When I have a little problem, I don't worry about it,'' Goetschl said. Goetschl dominated the race from start to finish and led an all-Austrian podium. She skied the course used for last year's Torino Olympics in 1 minute, 51.65 seconds.
    Elisabeth Goergl was second, 1.17 seconds behind, and Maria Holaus was third, 1.35 seconds back, for her first podium finish.
    Lindsey Kildow was fourth and American teammate Julia Mancuso was fifth. Although they appreciate Goetschl's abilities, they are not yet ready to concede.
    "She's definitely skiing well, but she's not unbeatable. I think Jules and I can take her," Kildow said. "I thought I could have done better but I got a little late in some sections. For the most part, though, I skied well and I feel good about my skiing. This raced a lot differently than in the training run; it was totally different snow."
    Mancuso echoed that statement. The snow change, she said, "made it faster and a lot better. The sun was a lot better, too. It was a clear and nice day … and fun."
    U.S. head coach Patrick Riml was pleased. "Over the last month, we've started to expect them to be on the podium every race … but this was a good one for both of them. I'm psyched about this one."
    "Goetschl is skiing so well right now it's fun to watch her," Riml said. "She's on another planet."
   Goetschl crushed her rivals on all parts of the smooth "Frateve Olimpia" course to win with a margin of 1.17 seconds — quite an amazing time difference. She is not regarded as a great glider, but she found plenty to like about the course.
    "To win on such a course means a lot to me," she said. "I was not so convinced because it is not so demanding, but the skis were flying again. "
    Goetschl moved up from fourth in the overall standings and now leads with 921 points. Marlies Schild, who finished 12th, dropped down to second with 916 points. Mancuso is third with 871 points.
    ''It's not on my mind, because I know I have to win every race,'' said Goetschl, who excels only in downhill and super G. ''I think for the overall you need three or four disciplines.''
    Goetschl won the overall title seven years ago. ''The super G and downhill globes were my goals for this season. Everything else is extra,'' she said.
    Goetschl also has a 134-point lead over Mancuso in the downhill standings. Her last two victories in downhill came in Altenmarkt, Austria, and Cortina the past two weekends.
    Goergl recorded the best result of her career in downhill and her best finish this season.
    Holaus was skiing only the fourth World Cup race of her career, and second downhill. In her first race, the downhill in Altenmarkt, she finished fourth.
    In Friday's super G, she was the only skier faster than Goetschl at the second split — but then fell. ''It's a big surprise,'' Holaus said. ''I like downhill and super G and GS. Right now, I'm best in downhill.''
    Holaus isn't sure of a spot on Austria's team for the World Championships, which begin in Are, Sweden, next week. ''I think I'll fly to Are and then the [coaches] will select,'' she said.
    Conditions were near perfect, with sunny skies and the temperature at freezing.
    Coach Riml praised the efforts of Stacey Cook and Libby Ludlow, who finished 28th and 30th, respectively. "It was a good race for Stacey and Libby," he said. "Libby didn't have a perfect run, but, starting 49th, she kept things pointed downhill and did an outstanding job; she was charging."
    Despite the good conditions, several skiers struggled to keep their line and skied off-course, including Alexandra Meissnitzer, Ingrid Jacquemod, Nadia and Elena Fanchini and Emily Brydon.

— The Associated Press, USSA and Manuèle Lang contributed to this story

THE SCOOP
By Hank McKee

Equipment
Women's downhill, San Sicario, Italy, Jan. 27, 2007
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Goetschl, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
2 Goergl, Blizzard/Lange/Marker
3 Holaus, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker
4 Kildow, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
5 Mancuso, Rossignol/Lange/Rossignol
6 Gisin, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker
7 Berthod, Dynastar/Lange/Look
8 Aufdenblatten, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
9 Styger, Volkl/Lange/Marker
10 Merighetti, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

Women's downhill, San Sicario, Italy, Jan. 27, 2007. … It is the 23rd race of the 37-event women's World Cup schedule. … The seventh of nine scheduled downhills. … The second of a three-race set at San Sicario.
    It is the 44th career win for Renate Goetschl (sixth all time). … The 23rd in DH (third all time). … It is her sixth win of the season (matches personal best). … Third in DH. … It is her second win in two days. … Her third in the last four races. … And fourth in her last six races.
    It is the 10th career podium for Elisabeth Goergl. … She has not won a race but her podium placings trace to Jan. 5, 2003, when was second in slalom at Bormio. … It is her first podium of this season and just the second top 10 despite 15 scoring efforts.
    It is the first podium for Maria Holaus. … Her premier score was at Zauchensee Jan. 13, when she placed fourth. … She is 23, from Brixen.
    It is the 28th top-four placing for Lindsey Kildow's career. … 13th in DH. … It is just the second time she has finished fourth in a DH, the other at Santa Caterina on Jan. 7, 2005. … She has alternated second- and fourth-place finishes for her last four completed races. … It is the 22nd top-five result for Julia Mancuso. … The ninth top five in DH. … It is her ninth top five of the season, fifth in DH this season. … Kelly VanderBeek matches her ninth-best career mark. … It is the fourth-best DH result for her career and the season. … It is the 24th career top 20 for Britt Janyk. … Seventh from this season. … It is the ninth scoring result of the season for Stacey Cook. … The fifth scoring result of the season for Libby Ludlow.
    Goetschl has overtaken Marlies Sch
ild (12th in race) for the lead of the overall standings 921-916. … Julia Mancuso is third at 871. … Nicole Hosp (did not race) is fourth at 852 and Kildow fifth at 708. … Goetschl leads Mancuso in the downhill standings 525-391 with Kildow third at 390. … With two races remaining, Goetschl needs 67 points to claim her fifth downhill title. … Winning margin is 1.17 seconds. … There are zero skiers within a second of the winner. … Six within two seconds.

San Sicario women's World Cup downhill results

Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Total Time FIS Points
 1  30  55069 GOETSCHL Renate  1975  AUT   1:51.65  0.00
 2  17  55576 GOERGL Elisabeth  1981  AUT   1:52.82  14.15
 3  2  55669 HOLAUS Maria  1983  AUT   1:53.00  16.32
 4  29  537544 KILDOW Lindsey C  1984  USA   1:53.15  18.14
 5  28  537545 MANCUSO Julia  1984  USA   1:53.36  20.68
 6  18  515747 GISIN Dominique  1985  SUI   1:53.45  21.76
 7  25  515409 BERTHOD Sylviane  1977  SUI   1:53.90  27.21
 8  23  515573 AUFDENBLATTEN Fraenzi  1981  SUI   1:54.01  28.54
 9  24  515170 STYGER Nadia  1978  SUI   1:54.02  28.66
 10  11  296008 MERIGHETTI Daniela  1981  ITA   1:54.22  31.07
 11  14  515348 BORGHI Catherine  1976  SUI   1:54.25  31.44
 12  15  55590 SCHILD Marlies  1981  AUT   1:54.36  32.77
 13  19  106402 VANDERBEEK Kelly  1983&nbs
p;		 CAN   1:54.40  33.25
 14  5  515429 DUMERMUTH Monika  1977  SUI   1:54.43  33.61
 15  40  55691 SPONRING Christine  1983  AUT   1:54.47  34.10
 16  16  196460 MARCHAND-ARVIER Marie  1985  FRA   1:54.53  34.82
 16  12  295533 RECCHIA Lucia  1980  ITA   1:54.53  34.82
 18  43  296427 SCHNARF Johanna  1984  ITA   1:54.56  35.19
 19  3  225206 ALCOTT Chemmy  1982  GBR   1:54.62  35.91
 20  1  106022 JANYK Britt  1980  CAN   1:54.64  36.15
 21  21  206001 RIESCH Maria  1984  GER   1:54.77  37.73
 22  46  375018 COLETTI Alexandra  1983  MON   1:54.83  38.45
 23  6  55588 RUMPFHUBER Ingrid  1981  AUT   1:54.90  39.30
 24  41  515774 WOLF Tamara  1985  SUI   1:55.13  42.08
 25  50  495318 RUIZ CASTILLO Carolina  1981  SPA   1:55.14  42.20
 25  4  515560 SCHILD Martina  1981  SUI   1:55.14  42.20
 27  35  206175 STECHERT Gina  1987  GER   1:55.19  42.80
 28  10  537582 COOK Stacey J  1984  USA   1:55.33  44.50
 29  34  196412 WEYRICH Clothilde  1985  FRA   1:55.39  45.22
 30  49  536884 LUDLOW Libby  1981  USA   1:55.49  46.43
 31  22  55750 FISCHBACHER Andrea  1985  AUT   1:55.60  47.76
 32  42  505260 HARGIN Janette  1977  SWE   1:55.78  49.94
 33  36  206035 CHMELAR Fanny  1985  GER   1:55.90  51.39
 34  8  536138 CLARK Kirsten L  1977  USA   1:55.93  51.75
 35  45  296623 MAZZOTTI Lucia  1985  ITA   1:56.07  53.44
 36  44  106666 RUBENS Shona  1986  CAN   1:56.10  53.81
 37  38  196573 REVILLET Aurelie  1986  FRA   1:56.20  55.02
 38  48  537626 RICHARDSON Kaylin L  1984  USA   1:56.30  56.22
 39  47  296769 LONGHINI Hilary  1986  ITA   1:56.34  56.71
 40  51  565261 ROBNIK Petra  1984  SLO   1:56.40  57.43
 41  37  106465 LAWRENCE Sherry  1984  CAN   1:57.29  68.20
 42  39  297134 BORSOTTI Camilla  1988  ITA   1:57.62  72.19
 43  33  505632 LINDELL-VIKARBY Jessica  1984  SWE   1:57.77  74.00
 44  52  255098 KRISTJANSDOTTIR Dagny L.  1980  ISL   1:57.94  76.05
 45  53  425432 MUELLER Anne Marie  1980  NOR   1:58.85  87.06
 46  54  495615 MORLANS Leyre  1987  SPA   2:01.00  113.05

Did not finish 1st run:
WIRTH Katja (AUT), MAZE Tina (SLO), MEISSNITZER Alexandra (AUT), JACQUEMOD Ingrid (FRA), FANCHINI Nadia (ITA), FANCHINI Elena (ITA), BRYDON Emily (CAN), BENT Nike (SWE)

World Cup downhill standings (after 7 of 9 races)
1. Renate Goetschl, Austria, 525 points.
2. Julia Mancuso, United States, 391.
3. Lindsey Kildow, United States, 390.
4. Anja Paerson, Sweden, 257.
5. Dominique Gisin, Switzerland, 210.
6. Ingrid Jacquemod, France, 208.
7. Andrea Fischbacher, Austria, 174.
8. Kelly VanderBeek, Canada, 173.
9. Sylviane Berthod, Switzerland, 170.
10. Nadia Styger, Switzerland, 167.
11. Maria Riesch, Germany, 163.
12. Alexandra Meissnitzer, Austria, 157.
13. Marie Marchand-Arvier, France, 135.
14. Elisabeth Goergl, Austria, 134.
15. Fraenzi Aufdenblatten, Switzerland, 125

World Cup downhill standings (after 23 of 37 races)
1. Renate Goetschl, Austria, 921 points.
2. Marlies Schild, Austria, 916.
3. Julia Mancuso, United States, 871.
4. Nicole Hosp, Austria, 852.
5. Lindsey Kildow, United States, 708.
6. Kathrin Zettel, Austria, 568.
7. Anja Paerson, Sweden, 529.
8. Tanja Poutiainen, Finland, 403.
9. Ingrid Jacquemod, France, 399.
(tie) Sarka Zahrobska, Czech Republic, 399.
11. Michaela Kirchgasser, Austria, 379.
12. Elisabeth Goergl, Austria, 303.
13. Andrea Fischbacher, Austria, 300.
14. Therese Borssen, Sweden, 299.
15. Kelly VanderBeek, Canada, 296.

About the Author: Pete Rugh

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