Worley hangs on to red bib with giant slalom victory

By Published On: December 10th, 2016Comments Off on Worley hangs on to red bib with giant slalom victory

Sestriere sits in the heart of the mountains in northern Italy about a half hour from the French border. A new venue for many athletes, it marked the first women’s World Cup race at the venue since 2008. The winner, Tessa Worley of France, did not let the new venue faze her, taking the win by 0.15 seconds with a combined time of 2:17.37. Behind her was Italian Sofia Goggia while Switzerland’s Lara Gut rounded out the podium in third place just 0.29 seconds off of the winning time.

Worley is making a strong showing this year after a few tough seasons where she worked to regain her footing following an injury in 2013.

“It feels really awesome,” Worley said about winning two giant slalom races in a row. “It’s great to be able to ski just like you used to do in training and just have to think about pushing really hard in the races and that was clearly the only thing that I needed to think about today because all the girls were fighting very hard. It was a tight race, so I’m happy I won it.”

Worley continues to lead the giant slalom standings with 240 points. Hot on her heels was Goggia, who is having something of a breakout season. The Italian has been on the podium in four of her last five World Cup races, and this finish is her best result ever in giant slalom. She shares the spotlight with her teammates, three of whom joined her in the top 15.

“I’m going to say the same words I have already said in Killington,” she shared. “We are the fastest team in giant slalom on the World Cup.”

When asked about her own future and goals, she said that she does not like to look to the future, but instead to live in the now.

“I’m going to have a glass of champagne in some minutes,” she said with a smile.

Rounding out the podium was Gut, who was not thrilled by her performance.

“The first run was a nightmare,” she said. “I did not ski the way I wanted, always too early in the turn, that wasn’t really skiing. I tried to ski a little more aggressive, tighter lines, but it didn’t really work the way I was hoping. I’m happy to be on the podium. It’s always great to be on the podium, and it’s a good thing that I’m third even if I’m not skiing well.”

The performances in the second run of the top three skiers knocked first-run leader Mikaela Shiffrin off the podium. After winning the first run by 0.01 seconds – the smallest possible margin – one costly error prevented Shiffrin from holding on for a top-three finish once all was said and done. But she was able to salvage a sixth-place result and score critical points on the day, remaining ahead of Gut in third place in the GS standings. The next-best American was Resi Stiegler, who earned her first World Cup giant slalom points in four years with a 28th-place result.

“I was so nervous,” Stiegler shared. “I didn’t think I was going to make it because I was in 24th [after her first run] and kept getting moved back, but I did, and then, I was like ‘Oh my gosh.’ Then, I started thinking too much because I haven’t been the top 30 since 2012.”

Stiegler went on to explain that her second run she got a little loose and ungrounded on the second run, but she’s still happy with the day. Independent American racer Megan McJames did not qualify for a second run.

Other notable performances were made by Switzerland’s Simone Wild (bib 27) and Melanie Meillard (bib 40) who finished in seventh and tenth place, respectively.

Canadian athlete Candace Crawford took a spill, suffered a deep laceration on her upper arm and was transported via helicopter to the hospital in Torino for sutures and will be out for a yet to be determined amount of time.

Women’s racing continues on Sunday with the slalom at Sestriere while the men race at Val d’Isere.


Top 10

  1. Tessa Worley (FRA) – Rossignol / Rossignol / Rossignol
  2. Sofia Goggia (ITA) – Atomic / Atomic / Atomic
  3. Lara Gut (SUI) – Head / Head / Head
  4. Tina Weirather (LIE) – Atomic / Atomic / Atomic
  5. Marta Bassino (ITA) – Salomon / Salomon / Salomon
  6. Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) – Atomic / Atomic / Atomic
  7. Simone Wild (SUI) – Fischer / Fischer / Fischer
  8. Stephanie Brunner (AUT) – Head / Head / Head
  9. Ana Drev (SLO)  – Volkl / Dalbello / Marker
  10. Melanie Meillard (SUI) – Rossignol / Rossignol / Rossignol

Official Results

Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Run 1 Run 2 Total Time Diff. FIS Points
 1  5  196928 WORLEY Tessa 1989 FRA  1:08.55  1:08.82  2:17.37  0.00
 2  12  298323 GOGGIA Sofia 1992 ITA  1:08.62  1:08.90  2:17.52  +0.15  1.07
 3  7  516138 GUT Lara 1991 SUI  1:08.55  1:09.11  2:17.66  +0.29  2.07
 4  3  355050 WEIRATHER Tina 1989 LIE  1:08.51  1:09.86  2:18.37  +1.00  7.13
 5  14  299276 BASSINO Marta 1996 ITA  1:09.29  1:09.09  2:18.38  +1.01  7.21
 6  8  6535237 SHIFFRIN Mikaela 1995 USA  1:08.50  1:09.91  2:18.41  +1.04  7.42
 7  27  516268 WILD Simone 1993 SUI  1:08.93  1:09.81  2:18.74  +1.37  9.77
 8  20  56217 BRUNNER Stephanie 1994 AUT  1:09.70  1:09.08  2:18.78  +1.41  10.06
 9  6  565268 DREV Ana 1985 SLO  1:09.19  1:09.84  2:19.03  +1.66  11.84
 10  40  516528 MEILLARD Melanie 1998 SUI  1:10.10  1:08.94  2:19.04  +1.67  11.91
 11  28  56315 TRUPPE Katharina 1996 AUT  1:09.80  1:09.38  2:19.18  +1.81  12.91
 12  13  505760 PIETILAE-HOLMNER Maria 1986 SWE  1:09.38  1:09.84  2:19.22  +1.85  13.20
 13  29  197124 FRASSE SOMBET Coralie 1991 FRA  1:10.26  1:09.06  2:19.32  +1.95  13.91
 14  11  296259 MOELGG Manuela 1983 ITA  1:10.04  1:09.36  2:19.40  +2.03  14.48
 15  23  297702 MARSAGLIA Francesca 1990 ITA  1:09.52  1:10.00  2:19.52  +2.15  15.34
 16  45  56032 SCHILD Bernadette 1990 AUT  1:09.97  1:09.58  2:19.55  +2.18  15.55
 17  17  296729 FANCHINI Nadia 1986 ITA  1:09.47  1:10.11  2:19.58  +2.21  15.77
 18  9  55759 KIRCHGASSER Michaela 1985 AUT  1:10.08  1:09.53  2:19.61  +2.24  15.98
 19  22  197319 BAUD MUGNIER Adeline 1992 FRA  1:09.76  1:09.88  2:19.64  +2.27  16.19
 20  18  516280 HOLDENER Wendy 1993 SUI  1:09.43  1:10.42  2:19.85  +2.48  17.69
 21  16  105269 GAGNON Marie-Michele 1989 CAN  1:09.98  1:10.01  2:19.99  +2.62  18.69
 22  26  705423 VLHOVA Petra 1995 SVK  1:09.86  1:10.21  2:20.07  +2.70  19.26
 23  1  205218 REBENSBURG Viktoria 1989 GER  1:10.01  1:10.28  2:20.29  +2.92  20.83
 24  10  196725 BARIOZ Taina 1988 FRA  1:09.98  1:10.38  2:20.36  +2.99  21.33
 25  37  565373 ROBNIK Tina 1991 SLO  1:10.38  1:10.17  2:20.55  +3.18  22.69
 26  21  296509 CURTONI Irene 1985 ITA  1:09.57  1:11.00  2:20.57  +3.20  22.83
 27  25  297910 CURTONI Elena 1991 ITA  1:10.68  1:09.95  2:20.63  +3.26  23.26
 28  34  537772 STIEGLER Resi 1985 USA  1:10.58  1:10.10  2:20.68  +3.31  23.61
 29  33  565331 LAVTAR Katarina 1988 SLO  1:10.59  1:10.78  2:21.37  +4.00  28.54
 30  19  505886 KLING Kajsa 1988 SWE  1:10.61  1:11.07  2:21.68  +4.31  30.75
Did not qualify for 2nd run
 62  35089 SIMARI BIRKNER Macarena 1984 ARG
 61  506341 WIKSTROEM Emelie 1992 SWE
 60  298124 AGNELLI Nicole 1992 ITA
 59  35079 SIMARI BIRKNER Maria Belen 1982 ARG
 58  315187 IGNJATOVIC Nevena 1990 SRB
 56  435334 GASIENICA-DANIEL Maryna 1994 POL
 55  516284 GISIN Michelle 1993 SUI
 54  56328 ORTLIEB Nina 1996 AUT
 53  425981 SKJOELD Maren 1993 NOR
 52  565401 BUCIK Ana 1993 SLO
 51  485926 KRYUKOVA Kristina 1997 RUS
 49  206487 WIESLER Maren 1993 GER
 48  56199 KAPPAURER Elisabeth 1994 AUT
 47  197651 DIREZ Clara 1995 FRA
 46  405138 JELINKOVA Adriana 1995 NED
 43  56241 SCHNEEBERGER Rosina 1994 AUT
 41  206355 DUERR Lena 1991 GER
 38  485731 ROMANOVA Anastasia 1993 RUS
 36  225525 TILLEY Alexandra 1993 GBR
 32  538284 MCJAMES Megan 1987 USA
 31  306249 HASEGAWA Emi 1986 JPN
 30  196726 BARTHET Anne-Sophie 1988 FRA
 15  505679 HANSDOTTER Frida 1985 SWE
Did not finish 1st run
 57  106961 MIELZYNSKI Erin 1990 CAN
 50  155699 PAULATHOVA Katerina 1993 CZE
 44  516407 KASPER Vanessa 1996 SUI
 42  516504 DANIOTH Aline 1998 SUI
 39  107613 GRENIER Valerie 1996 CAN
 35  107387 CRAWFORD Candace 1994 CAN
 24  425929 MOWINCKEL Ragnhild 1992 NOR
 4  297601 BRIGNONE Federica 1990 ITA
 2  425771 LOESETH Nina 1989 NOR

 

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About the Author: Gabbi Hall

A California native, Gabbi moved to Vermont to ski on the NCAA circuit for St. Michael’s College, where she served as team captain and studied journalism. Before joining Ski Racing, she worked as a broadcast TV producer and social media manager in higher education. She can be reached via email at gabbi@skiracing.com