Vonn takes World Cup downhill win in Zauchensee

American Lindsey Vonn was looking to make a statement in today’s (Jan.8) World Cup downhill in Zauchensee, Austria. And a statement she made as the reigning Olympic champion in the discipline collected her second downhill win and fourth podium of the season to right the ship following a recent chain of slalom blunders. 

After the start of the race was delayed half an hour due to technical issues, racers took to the curvy Kaelberloch course under overcast skies and temperatures in the low 40s F.

“It was pretty soft snow today, unfortunately the temperatures got pretty warm and it was a difficult race but I’m happy to get the win today,” said Vonn, who is only now recovering from a bout of stomach flu that has drained her energy over the last week.

Vonn, in a slightly Canadian-looking new yellow and red speed suit, hit the course attacking. The Vail, Colo. native held the lead at every split down the 42-gate course and brilliantly recovered from a very wide left footer in the middle of the course by flawlessly navigating the bottom section and crossing the finish line with a time of one minute 46.39 seconds and a 0.43-second advantage on second-place finisher, Swedish veteran Anja Paerson.

“I came into the forest section with a lot of speed, I had a good line coming in and then I think in the soft snow I just hit a roll funny and almost went into the nets,” said Vonn of her recovery. “I knew that if I could cary the speed in the next left-footed turn then I could maybe make some time back on the last couple turns.”

Adding to Vonn’s hunger was the knowledge that she trailed her friend Maria Riesch of Germany (fourth today) in the overall standings by 186 points after Vonn collected DNFs in all three of the slalom races since her double-win run (downhill, super combined) in Val d’Isere in mid-December. With two second-place results and two victories, Vonn hasn’t missed a downhill podium all season and climbed 50 points closer to Riesch who leads 883 to 747.

Vonn said keeping her cool has been the key to her success this year as the World Cup’s downhill courses have forced her to trust her instincts when things don’t go according to plan.

“I don’t know what has gotten into me this year, I seem to be making big mistakes in almost every downhill that I’ve raced and still had a good result,” laughed Vonn. “It’s just a matter of keeping my cool, if I make a big mistake knowing that I can make it up with my skiing and my skis are fast, if I just ski the next part good I can make up the time. I think it’s just the belief and the cool factor, just staying cool even though you make mistakes is the most important thing for me at this point.”

Paerson, who tied for the victory the last time the World Cup tour came through Zaunchensee in 2009, was obviously thrilled in the finish area, pumping her fists and yelling in celebration of her first podium of the season.

Austrian Anna Fenninger, who, with the support of thousands of cheering local fans, jumped out to the early lead in the 8 bib, landed third, 0.98 seconds back for her first World Cup podium of the season.  

Riesch was 1.05 seconds behind Vonn to earn fourth place, her 11th top-five result of the season.“It’s hard to be on the podium every single time,” Riesch told Fisalpine.com. “I just missed it by seven hundredths. I’m really happy about my race today. Maybe not every turn was perfect but all in all, I’m really happy about my race, also with the fourth place.”

Fresh off of her two-race suspension handed down from Swiss-Ski, Lara Gut skillfully managed the course’s jumps and lower section to finish sixth.

American Julia Mancuso, who won a super combined here in 2007, performed a mistake-free run that was good enough for 16th place. She was the only other American to score as Stacey Cook and Leanne Smith finished, 34th and 37th, respectively.

Britt Janyk led the Canadian women in 15th place.

With her 37th career win Vonn stands alone in fifth place all-time among women Cup victories, breaking a tie with Katja Seizinger. Ironically, next in front of her… was behind her today – Paerson with 41 wins.

World Cup racing continues in Zauchensee tomorrow with a super G.

The SCOOP
By Hank McKee
Equipment
Women’s downhill, Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, Austria, Jan. 8, 2011
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Vonn, Head/Head/Head
2 Paerson, Head/Head/Head
3 Fenninger, Head/Head/Head
4 Riesch, Head/Lange/Head
5 Fischbacher, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
6 Gut, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
7 Gisin, Dynastar/Lange/Marker
8 Goergl, Head/Head/Head
9 Merighetti, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
9 Fanchini, Dynastar/Lange/Look

Women’s Downhill, Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, Austria, Jan. 8, 2011. … It is the 16th race of the women’s 2011 World Cup 38 event schedule and 15th held. … It is the fourth of nine scheduled downhills. … It is the 25th World Cup race held at Altenmarkt-Zauchensee and the 11th downhill. … Altenmarkt has been hosting World Cups since 1980.

It is the 37th career World Cup win for Lindsey Vonn, extending her U.S. record. … It is the 218th U.S. World Cup win. … Vonn gains sole position of fifth among women all time on the World Cup win list behind Anja Paerson’s 41 wins. … It is her 20th Cup DH win. … putting her third all time among women and fourth among both genders for Cup DH wins behind Renate Goetschl’s 24. … It is Vonn’s fourth win of the season and second in DH.

It is the 93rd career World Cup podium for Anja Paerson. … her 14th in DH. … It is her first podium of the season, her previous best being a sixth in DH at Lake Louise. … Paerson won at Altenmarkt-Zauchensee in DH Jan. 18, 2009. … She has one win since then, in combined Jan. 29, 2010.

It is the second career World Cup podium for Anna Fenninger, her first a second place finish in super G at Cortina Jan. 26, 2009.

It is the second scoring result of the season for Britt Janyk. … She was 13th in DH at Val d’Isere Dec. 18. … It is her second best of four results at Altenmarkt-Zauchensee. … It is the 12th scoring result of the season for Julia Mancuso and fourth in DH.

Maria Riesch (4th in race) maintains her hold on the World Cup overall standings883-747 over Vonn. … Elisabeth Goergl (8th in race) is third with 515pts. … Marie-Michele Gagnon (did not race) is the top Canadian overall in 26th with 130pts. … Vonn leads the downhill standings 360-257 over Riesch. … Goergl is third with 187pts. … Janyk is the top Canadian in 24th with 36pts. … Austria leads the women’s Nations Cup 2391-1928 over Germany. … The U.S. is third with 1406. … Canada is tenth with 212pts.

Rank	Bib	FIS Code	Name	Year	Nation	Total Time	FIS Points
1	20	537544	VONN Lindsey	1984	USA	1:46.39	0.00
2	17	505483	PAERSON Anja	1981	SWE	1:46.82	5.38
3	8	55947	FENNINGER Anna	1989	AUT	1:47.37	12.25
4	18	206001	RIESCH Maria	1984	GER	1:47.44	13.13
5	10	55750	FISCHBACHER Andrea	1985	AUT	1:47.57	14.75
6	11	516138	GUT Lara	1991	SUI	1:47.60	15.13
7	15	515747	GISIN Dominique	1985	SUI	1:47.62	15.38
8	22	55576	GOERGL Elisabeth	1981	AUT	1:47.71	16.50
9	14	296008	MERIGHETTI Daniela	1981	ITA	1:47.80	17.63
9	1	296472	FANCHINI Elena	1985	ITA	1:47.80	17.63
11	21	515806	KAMER Nadja	1986	SUI	1:47.99	20.00
12	13	515766	SUTER Fabienne	1985	SUI	1:48.08	21.13
13	9	195983	ROLLAND Marion	1982	FRA	1:48.31	24.00
14	41	55970	SCHMIDHOFER Nicole	1989	AUT	1:48.46	25.88
15	3	106022	JANYK Britt	1980	CAN	1:48.48	26.13
16	16	537545	MANCUSO Julia	1984	USA	1:48.50	26.38
17	5	205218	REBENSBURG Viktoria	1989	GER	1:48.57	27.25
18	40	196968	BAILET Margot	1990	FRA	1:48.60	27.63
19	12	296427	SCHNARF Johanna	1984	ITA	1:48.61	27.75
20	24	196573	REVILLET Aurelie	1986	FRA	1:48.69	28.75
21	49	297910	CURTONI Elena	1991	ITA	1:48.70	28.88
22	47	495318	RUIZ CASTILLO Carolina	1981	SPA	1:48.81	30.25
23	30	55766	MADER Regina	1985	AUT	1:48.86	30.88
24	28	565243	MAZE Tina	1983	SLO	1:48.91	31.50
25	29	565320	FERK Marusa	1988	SLO	1:48.92	31.63
26	19	195671	JACQUEMOD Ingrid	1978	FRA	1:48.93	31.75
27	42	55913	MOSER Stefanie	1988	AUT	1:49.00	32.63
28	23	515573	AUFDENBLATTEN Fraenzi	1981	SUI	1:49.29	36.25
29	4	196460	MARCHAND-ARVIER Marie	1985	FRA	1:49.40	37.63
30	25	206175	STECHERT Gina	1987	GER	1:49.42	37.88
31	44	55806	ALTACHER Margret	1986	AUT	1:49.69	41.25
31	27	515782	ABDERHALDEN Marianne	1986	SUI	1:49.69	41.25
33	37	505632	LINDELL-VIKARBY Jessica	1984	SWE	1:49.84	43.13
34	38	206323	STIEPEL Isabelle	1990	GER	1:49.87	43.50
34	7	537582	COOK Stacey	1984	USA	1:49.87	43.50
36	33	296431	STUFFER Verena	1984	ITA	1:49.88	43.63
37	2	538305	SMITH Leanne	1987	USA	1:49.91	44.00
38	43	297702	MARSAGLIA Francesca	1990	ITA	1:50.05	45.75
39	35	55882	STAUDINGER Christina	1987	AUT	1:50.16	47.13
40	36	538573	ROSS Laurenne	1988	USA	1:50.27	48.50
40	32	55978	VOGLREITER Mariella	1989	AUT	1:50.27	48.50
42	46	425880	SEJERSTED Lotte Smiseth	1991	NOR	1:50.31	49.00
43	34	197006	GAUTHIER Marine	1990	FRA	1:50.34	49.38
44	39	297153	CIPRIANI Enrica	1988	ITA	1:50.71	54.01
45	51	105920	SIMMERLING Georgia	1989	CAN	1:50.73	54.26
46	26	538038	MARSHALL Chelsea	1986	USA	1:51.03	58.01
47	50	55922	TIPOTSCH Nina	1988	AUT	1:51.12	59.13
48	45	297134	BORSOTTI Camilla	1988	ITA	1:51.18	59.88
49	52	375018	COLETTI Alexandra	1983	MON	1:51.41	62.76
50	31	515560	SCHILD Martina	1981	SUI	1:51.48	63.63
51	48	155563	KRIZOVA Klara	1989	CZE	1:52.08	71.13
52	53	155431	MARKOVA Daniela	1985	CZE	1:55.69	116.26
Did not start 1st run
	6	515849	DETTLING Andrea	1987	SUI