Vonn floors Sweden with first giant slalom victory since 2013
As the lights came on in Are, Sweden, for the second run, the FIS Alpine women’s World Cup giant slalom heated up. Dimming sunlight, high winds and snow flurries could not slow down the day’s ultimate winner, Lindsey Vonn – who claimed victory in her first giant slalom race since 2013 in Maribor, Slovenia, and her fourth World Cup race in a row.
Her tactic to conserve her first run lead during a second pass down the slope under the lights?
“I tried to be smart on the bottom where it was turny and some of the girls had some trouble,” she said. “I think I may have given away too much time there, but still I was attacking the whole time trying to arc and I was fast.”
The course threw a curve ball at some of the athletes mid-way down: a right-footer on a breakover drew the competition into lower lines and slower speeds. As winner of the first run, Vonn had the advantage of watching others ski the course first to devise a strategic plan.
This was particularly helpful because, as a predominant speed skier, Vonn came into the race without much time on her GS skis so far this season.
“I haven’t done really any GS training,” she said. “I got one day in Lake Louise on Tuesday, but haven’t really skied since then. Yesterday, the snow wasn’t very good for warmup so I didn’t do anything. It’s basically just going off of confidence.”
And experience.
“I feel like I’m not maybe as agile as I used to be. I’m not maybe as explosive, but at the same time I know my ability and I know what I can do and I know under different situations what is required of me,” Vonn said. “And, so, I knew today it was going to take two really good, aggressive runs and my experience paid off and I was able to win.”
Vonn’s confidence, smart tactics and past experience training under the lights in Minnesota as a junior racer allowed her to edge out Austria’s Eva-Maria Brem for the second giant slalom win in Are of her career.
“Yes, I’m surprised because I haven’t skied very much,” noted Vonn. “I was hoping to be in the top three, but at the same time, I knew that if I could arc and ski aggressively that I could win because I’ve done it here before.”
Brem, who finished with a combined time just 0.07 seconds behind Vonn, also has a successful track record on the Swedish slope with four of her nine World Cup podiums coming on the hill.
“If I could wish for a slope, it wouldn’t be Are,” Brem told reporters. “But I don’t know, it just works out … Are and me. It’s kind of a nice relationship, I think. I love the city, the small city, and the people and it’s nice. … Everything’s fine with Are and me.”
Giant slalom leader Frederica Brignone skied into the final spot on the podium by winning the second run, collecting her third consecutive World Cup GS podium this season.
Two suprise performances of the day came from Switzerland’s Simone Wild – who moved from bib 45 to finishing in eighth place – and Slovenia’s Tina Robnik – who skied from bib 53 to finish 15th. For both of these women, it was their first time qualifying for a second run in a World Cup GS.
The only other American athlete slated to compete in the giant slalom was pre-race favorite Mikaela Shiffrin, but she was forced to pull out prior to her start with a possible right knee injury sustained during the morning warmup. While freeskiing on the race slope prior to the start, Shiffrin fell and slid into the protective netting. She was taken to the hospital in Oestersund for further evaluation and official details will be released pending an MRI this afternoon, but her name was removed from the start board for Sunday’s slalom.
The World Cup women will race slalom tomorrow in Are, starting at 10:30 a.m. local time.
To view more photos from this race click here.
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The Scoop
By Hank McKee
- Vonn, Head/Head/Head
- Brem, Volkl/Fischer/Marker
- Brignone, Rossignol/Lange/Rossignol
- Worley, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
- Loeseth, Volkl/Lange/Marker
- Hansdotter, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
- Pietilae-Holmner, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
- Wild, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
- Bassino, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
- Barioz, Head/Head/Head
- Women’s World Cup giant slalom, Are, Sweden, Dec. 12, 2016. … It is the eighth of 41 races on the women’s schedule … the third of nine giant slaloms. … It is the 96th World Cup race hosted by Are … the 33rd GS.
- Winning margin is 0.07. … Top seven are within the same second. … It is the 71st career World Cup win for Lindsey Vonn, the all-time leader in World Cup victories. … It is her fourth GS win, the first since Jan 26, 2013 at Maribor. … It is her second GS win at Are having previously won March 9, 2012. … It is her fourth win of the season in four completed races. … It is the 294th U.S. World Cup win, the seventh of the season.
- It is the ninth career World Cup podium result for Eva-Maria Brem … all in GS. … She has been on the podium in all three GSs held this season. … It is her fourth podium at Are.
- It is the 10th career World Cup podium for Federica Brignone … her third of the season.
- It is the 25th career scoring result for Marie-Pier Prefontaine … her fourth at Are and her second of the season.
- Vonn holds the lead of the World Cup overall standings 400-296 over Mikaela Shiffrin (did not race). … Lara Gut is third overall with 278pts.
- Brignone leads the GS standings 220-193 over Brem with Gut in third with 170pts. … Vonn is fifth at 100.
- Austria leads the women’s Nations Cup standings 952-897 over the U.S. … Italy is third with 874. … Canada sits seventh with 255pts.
Official Results
Rank | Bib | FIS Code | Name | Year | Nation | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total Time | Diff. | FIS Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 16 | 537544 | VONN Lindsey | 1984 | USA | 1:03.29 | 1:01.41 | 2:04.70 | 0.00 | |
2 | 6 | 55898 | BREM Eva-Maria | 1988 | AUT | 1:03.64 | 1:01.13 | 2:04.77 | +0.07 | 0.55 |
3 | 3 | 297601 | BRIGNONE Federica | 1990 | ITA | 1:03.98 | 1:01.07 | 2:05.05 | +0.35 | 2.75 |
4 | 10 | 196928 | WORLEY Tessa | 1989 | FRA | 1:03.79 | 1:01.59 | 2:05.38 | +0.68 | 5.34 |
5 | 8 | 425771 | LOESETH Nina | 1989 | NOR | 1:03.70 | 1:01.77 | 2:05.47 | +0.77 | 6.05 |
6 | 13 | 505679 | HANSDOTTER Frida | 1985 | SWE | 1:03.62 | 1:02.02 | 2:05.64 | +0.94 | 7.39 |
7 | 11 | 505760 | PIETILAE-HOLMNER Maria | 1986 | SWE | 1:04.18 | 1:01.86 | 2:06.04 | +1.34 | 10.53 |
8 | 45 | 516268 | WILD Simone | 1993 | SUI | 1:04.73 | 1:01.52 | 2:06.25 | +1.55 | 12.18 |
9 | 19 | 299276 | BASSINO Marta | 1996 | ITA | 1:04.40 | 1:01.95 | 2:06.35 | +1.65 | 12.97 |
10 | 23 | 196725 | BARIOZ Taina | 1988 | FRA | 1:04.93 | 1:01.52 | 2:06.45 | +1.75 | 13.75 |
11 | 7 | 205218 | REBENSBURG Viktoria | 1989 | GER | 1:04.68 | 1:01.83 | 2:06.51 | +1.81 | 14.22 |
12 | 21 | 565268 | DREV Ana | 1985 | SLO | 1:04.13 | 1:02.41 | 2:06.54 | +1.84 | 14.46 |
13 | 15 | 516138 | GUT Lara | 1991 | SUI | 1:04.60 | 1:02.08 | 2:06.68 | +1.98 | 15.56 |
14 | 12 | 296259 | MOELGG Manuela | 1983 | ITA | 1:04.93 | 1:01.99 | 2:06.92 | +2.22 | 17.45 |
15 | 53 | 565373 | ROBNIK Tina | 1991 | SLO | 1:05.15 | 1:01.83 | 2:06.98 | +2.28 | 17.92 |
16 | 9 | 55759 | KIRCHGASSER Michaela | 1985 | AUT | 1:04.86 | 1:02.17 | 2:07.03 | +2.33 | 18.31 |
17 | 2 | 355050 | WEIRATHER Tina | 1989 | LIE | 1:04.67 | 1:02.38 | 2:07.05 | +2.35 | 18.47 |
18 | 38 | 516280 | HOLDENER Wendy | 1993 | SUI | 1:05.29 | 1:01.88 | 2:07.17 | +2.47 | 19.41 |
19 | 20 | 197319 | BAUD MUGNIER Adeline | 1992 | FRA | 1:04.41 | 1:02.84 | 2:07.25 | +2.55 | 20.04 |
20 | 24 | 196793 | MARMOTTAN Anemone | 1988 | FRA | 1:05.15 | 1:02.40 | 2:07.55 | +2.85 | 22.40 |
21 | 28 | 298323 | GOGGIA Sofia | 1992 | ITA | 1:04.89 | 1:02.67 | 2:07.56 | +2.86 | 22.48 |
22 | 51 | 506350 | EKLUND Nathalie | 1992 | SWE | 1:05.63 | 1:01.99 | 2:07.62 | +2.92 | 22.95 |
23 | 29 | 196726 | BARTHET Anne-Sophie | 1988 | FRA | 1:05.47 | 1:02.26 | 2:07.73 | +3.03 | 23.81 |
23 | 14 | 296509 | CURTONI Irene | 1985 | ITA | 1:05.20 | 1:02.53 | 2:07.73 | +3.03 | 23.81 |
25 | 43 | 197124 | FRASSE SOMBET Coralie | 1991 | FRA | 1:05.53 | 1:02.26 | 2:07.79 | +3.09 | 24.28 |
26 | 42 | 56217 | BRUNNER Stephanie | 1994 | AUT | 1:05.29 | 1:02.62 | 2:07.91 | +3.21 | 25.23 |
27 | 27 | 297702 | MARSAGLIA Francesca | 1990 | ITA | 1:04.98 | 1:03.42 | 2:08.40 | +3.70 | 29.08 |
28 | 17 | 106825 | PREFONTAINE Marie-Pier | 1988 | CAN | 1:05.28 | 1:03.27 | 2:08.55 | +3.85 | 30.26 |
29 | 49 | 516344 | KOPP Rahel | 1994 | SUI | 1:05.55 | 1:03.21 | 2:08.76 | +4.06 | 31.91 |
Did not start 1st run | ||||||||||
5 | 6535237 | SHIFFRIN Mikaela | 1995 | USA | ||||||
Did not qualify for 2nd run | ||||||||||
65 | 555018 | GASUNA Lelde | 1990 | LAT | ||||||
64 | 95050 | KIRKOVA Maria | 1986 | BUL | ||||||
63 | 705423 | VLHOVA Petra | 1995 | SVK | ||||||
62 | 35156 | BANCORA Salome | 1993 | ARG | ||||||
59 | 56032 | SCHILD Bernadette | 1990 | AUT | ||||||
58 | 506341 | WIKSTROEM Emelie | 1992 | SWE | ||||||
57 | 516334 | CHABLE Charlotte | 1994 | SUI | ||||||
56 | 435313 | MAJERCZYK Sabina | 1993 | POL | ||||||
55 | 205239 | WIRTH Barbara | 1989 | GER | ||||||
54 | 197616 | ALPHAND Estelle | 1995 | FRA | ||||||
52 | 56315 | TRUPPE Katharina | 1996 | AUT | ||||||
48 | 55977 | THALMANN Carmen | 1989 | AUT | ||||||
47 | 516394 | SUTER Jasmina | 1995 | SUI | ||||||
46 | 206444 | HOESL Simona | 1992 | GER | ||||||
41 | 56328 | ORTLIEB Nina | 1996 | AUT | ||||||
40 | 206355 | DUERR Lena | 1991 | GER | ||||||
36 | 298694 | PICHLER Karoline | 1994 | ITA | ||||||
33 | 56174 | HAASER Ricarda | 1993 | AUT | ||||||
30 | 306249 | HASEGAWA Emi | 1986 | JPN | ||||||
22 | 297910 | CURTONI Elena | 1991 | ITA | ||||||
Did not finish 2nd run | ||||||||||
26 | 105269 | GAGNON Marie-Michele | 1989 | CAN | ||||||
Did not finish 1st run | ||||||||||
61 | 565401 | BUCIK Ana | 1993 | SLO | ||||||
60 | 315187 | IGNJATOVIC Nevena | 1990 | SRB | ||||||
50 | 197651 | DIREZ Clara | 1995 | FRA | ||||||
44 | 425880 | SEJERSTED Lotte Smiseth | 1991 | NOR | ||||||
39 | 155699 | PAULATHOVA Katerina | 1993 | CZE | ||||||
37 | 107532 | TOMMY Mikaela | 1995 | CAN | ||||||
35 | 506348 | STAALNACKE Ylva | 1992 | SWE | ||||||
34 | 225525 | TILLEY Alexandra | 1993 | GBR | ||||||
32 | 565331 | LAVTAR Katarina | 1988 | SLO | ||||||
31 | 298124 | AGNELLI Nicole | 1992 | ITA | ||||||
25 | 505886 | KLING Kajsa | 1988 | SWE | ||||||
18 | 425929 | MOWINCKEL Ragnhild | 1992 | NOR | ||||||
4 | 296729 | FANCHINI Nadia | 1986 | ITA | ||||||
1 | 506399 | HECTOR Sara | 1992 | SWE |