Winning is a great way to get a bad taste out of your mouth.

American ski racer Lindsey Vonn cleansed her pallet today (Jan. 15), handily winning a World Cup super G in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy just a week after recording her worst finish in the discipline in five years.

“It was a great day, I’m really happy,” said Vonn, who, with her  47th career victory moved ahead of Austrian great Renate Goetschl to stand alone at third on the women's all-time win list. ”It was tough just trying to get the confidence back after Bad Klein, now with a first and second place here I feel like everything is going well and I couldn’t be happier.”

Vonn, second in yesterday’s downhill, was on a mission today as she jumped out to a strong lead from the first time marker. She was more than a second ahead of the field at the mid-course split and crossed the line 0.61 seconds faster than longtime rival, German Maria Hoefl-Riesch in second place. Slovenian Tina Maze was another 0.25 seconds back to earn her fifth podium of the season in third place.

Hoefl-Riesch, the defending World Cup overall champion, looked more like herself this weekend (third in yesterday's downhill) amid a somewhat up-and-down season for the German star. Today’s result marks her fourth podium of the season, she has yet to win. At this point last season she had already racked up four victories on her way to dethroning Vonn from the overall title by a mere three points.

Vonn, winner of the first two super G races of the season (Lake Louise and Beaver Creek) and victor of two super G races here last season, hadn’t missed a World Cup super G podium in her last 19 starts when she recorded a 18th-place result in Bad Kleinkirchheim, Austria last weekend while suffering from the symptoms of a stomach illness. Today, Vonn looked healthy and fast as she collected her sixth career win in Cortina and her six victory of the season and celebrated in the finish area with her younger sister Laura. Vonn now leads the overall rankings with 884 points, Maze stands second with 593 points.

“I’ve always had success here in Cortina so I was definitely trying to win and risking a lot and it paid off, I’m really happy with my run,” said Vonn. “Last week I wasn’t healthy. I did my best and it wasn’t enough to be competitive. I took some days off and got a day of training in before the downhill training started here. I felt strong again. For me if I can’t get the strength, then I cant do what I want to do and I don’t trust myself.”

Temperatures were down but the skies were sunny and clear yet again today as racers kicked out of the start, set at the top of a steep section of the course called the Tofane Scuss, a narrow neck between two rock faces. The intermittent wind gusts that picked favorites in yesterday’s downhill had calmed for the final day of racing in Cortina.

American Julia Mancuso continued her solid season in fifth today with a thrilling run down the Olympia delle Tofane course as she saw the green leader’s split time twice during her run and finished just under a second behind Vonn. It was her eighth top-10 finish of the season. “In super G, if you make little mistakes, it’s always hard. I guess it’s a sign that I’m skiing faster and I need to be confident all the way to the finish.” said Mancuso. “I really think my slalom could be back there. I want to get some consistent days so I can have a good race and get confidence again.”

It was another strong day for the U.S. speed woman as Vonn and Mancuso led a four-woman charge in the top 15. Leanne Smith grabbed the third-best result of her career today in 10th place followed by Laurenne Ross, who landed 13th to earn her second-best result ever.

Stacey Cook, sixth in yesterday’s downhill, also hit the points in 25th today. Alice McKennis finished 38th.

Some lighthearted fun was had in the finish are when Maze, who last weekend was accused by Swiss officials of wearing illegal under garments, poked fun at the accusation and issuing FIS investigation by showing TV cameras her sportsbra that had “Not Your Business” written on it in marker. “It’s just because people are mixing underwear and under-racesuit, and it’s a big difference between underwear and skiwear, so that’s why I wrote that,” explained Maze. “It was just for now. I will keep it for my memory. I hope I won’t have to do it again.”   

The women’s tour now turns back to the technical disciplines with slalom and giant slalom races next weekend in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. - Eric Williams

Image by Gepa

The SCOOP
by Hank McKee

Women's World Cup super G, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Jan. 15, 2012
Equipment
skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Vonn, Head/Head/Head
2 Hoefl-Riesch, Head/Lange/Head
3 Maze, Stoeckli/Lange/Atomic
4 Goergl, Head/Head/Head
5 Mancuso, Voelkl/Lange/Marker
6 Lindell-Vikarby, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
7 Gut, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
8 Suter, Stoeckli/Lange/Atomic
9 Paerson, Head/Head/Head
10 Smith, Rossignol/Lange/Rossignol

Women's World Cup super G, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Jan 15, 2012. ... It is the 16th of 40 races on the women's 2012 World Cup scheduled with one cancellation (city event Munich) and the fourth of seven super G's. ... It is the last of a three race set at Cortina. ... the 85th Cup race hosted at the site and the 26th SG. ... Only Lake Louise has hosted more super Gs. ... Lindsey Vonn had won the last three SG's on the course before the race.

It is the 47th career World Cup win for Lindsey Vonn, extending her American record. ... She moves ahead of Renate Goetschl to rank third among women all time behind Anne-Marie Moser Proell with 62 and Vreni Schneider with 55. ... It is her 17th super G win moving her ahead of Katja Seizinger to the top of the women's list for all-time wins in that discipline with Goetschl. ... Only Hermann Maier has won more super G's (24). ... It is her sixth win at Cortina moving her to second for most Cup wins at the site behind Goetschl (10). ... It is her sixth win of the season moving her ahead of Marlies Schild and Marcel Hirscher on that list.

It is the 62nd career World Cup podium result for Maria Hoefl-Riesch. ... her 13th in super G and her seventh at Cortina. ... It is her fourth podium of the season. ... It is the tenth time in her career she has finished second to Vonn in a Cup race.

It is the 33rd career World Cup podium result for Tina Maze. ... her eighth in super G without a win. ... It is her first career Cup podium at Cortina and her fifth of the season.

North Americans: It is the 49th career World Cup top five for Julia Mancuso. ... her 14th in super G. ... and her sixth in SG at Cortina. ... It is her fourth top five of the season in three different disciplines. ... It is the third best career Cup result for Leanne Smith, her second best at Cortina in SG having placed eighth last season. ... It is her sixth score of the season. ... It is the second best career result for Laurenne Ross after a fourth in SG at Tarvisio last March 6. ... It is her fourth score of the season. ... Stacey Cook matches her tenth best SG placing. ... fourth best at Cortina. ... It is her sixth score of the season.

Vonn extends her lead of the World Cup overall standings to 884-593 over Maze. ... Marlies Schild (did not race) is third with 540pts. ... Mancuso is seventh with 401pts. ... Marie-Michele Gagnon (did not race) is the top Canadian in 43rd place with 82pts. ...Vonn leads the super G standings 313-226 over Fabienne Suter (eighth in race). ... Anna Fenninger (18th in race) is third with 213pts. ... Mancuso is fifth with 169pts. ... Gagnon is 41st with 5pts. ... Austria leads the women's Nations Cup 2718-1718 over the U.S. ... Switzerland is third with 1305. ... Canada is 11th with 187pts.