Anja Paerson wins tight super G on Olympic track at San Sicario

Anja Paerson wins tight super G on Olympic track at San SicarioOn the hill that will be used for the Olympics next season, Anja Paerson of Sweden won the San Sicario super G today, edging Isolde Kostner by 0.57 seconds.

“I’m not going to start this discussion that everyone else is doing,” said Paerson, when asked about the course, which some athletes said was too mild for the Olympics. “A lot of people are negative that it is so flat and easy, but sometimes that is also hard to ski…I will come here next year and try to win an Olympic medal.”

Among those attending the race was Valentino Castellani, the president of the Torino Olympic Organizing Committee.

There was a tie for third between Michaela Dorfmeister and Tina Maze. Only 0.01 seconds behind them was another tie, this one between Hilde Gerg and Janica Kostelic.

Gerg raised the suggestion that the athletes should push to move the race to a more demanding slope before next year. Then, following the race, Dorfmeister said “it would be good to try to have a super G race in Sestriere.”

Dorfmeister said Olympic courses should be difficult enough scare athletes into performing at their peak. “I want to be afraid in my stomach,” she said.

Gianni Poncet, the competition manager for the alpine, snowboard and freestyle Olympic venues, was dismayed by the criticism. “We work very well after three years with the FIS,” he said, describing how FIS World Cup women’s tour bosses Kurt Hoch and Jan Tischhauser had visited the site. “We were moving terrain in the summer, and moving snow in the winter.”

One American coach pointed to the fact that there were no DNFs in the race as an indication that it was too mild. But other coaches, and Poncet, cautioned that the cold snow temps (-22 degrees) explained the low speeds.

The top American was Lindsey Kildow, who finished 13th. After leading at the early splits, she finished 0.97 seconds behind. Looking to the scoreboard, she raised her arms with her palms up, expressing surprise and dismay.

“I’m pretty disappointed, not in the way I skied but in the place I got,” said Kildow. “I don’t know if I can win the title now, but you never know what can happen in the last race.”

There is a downhill tomorrow at San Sicario, followed by a combined on Sunday. Then the women have a week off before the World Cup Finals, in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, where there will be a downhill, super G, GS and slalom.

Kildow is now third in the downhill title standings, with 346 points. Ahead of her are Dorfmeister (393 points) and Renate Goetschl (371 points).

The Vail native also has an outside shot at the downhill title. With two races remaining (tomorrow and Finals), she has 348 points, and is trailing Goetschl (435 points) and Gerg (375 points).

There were eight other Americans in the race: Bryna McCarty (15th), Julia Mancuso (26), Caroline Lalive (30), Jonna Mendes (31), Kirsten Clark (37), Libby Ludlow (43), Kaylin Richardson (49) and Stacey Cook (59).

World Cup

Women’s Super G
Sansicario, Italy
Feb. 25, 2005
1. Anja Paerson, SWE 1:31.85
2. Isolde Kostner, ITA 1:32.42
3. Michaela Dorfmeister, AUT 1:32.50
3. Tina Maze, SLO 1:32.50
5. Hilde Gerg, GER 1:32.51
5. Janica Kostelic, CRO 1:32.51
7. Renate Goetschl, AUT 1:32.54
8. Silvia Berger, AUT 1:32.72
9. Ingrid Jacquemod, FRA 1:32.73
9. Katja Wirth, AUT 1:32.73
11. Sylvaine Berthod, SUI 1:32.80
11. Elisabeth Goergl, AUT 1:32.80
13. Lindsey Kildow, USA 1:32.82
14. Martina Ertl, GER 1:32.87
15. Bryna McCarty, USA 1:32.91
16. Lucia Recchia, ITA 1:32.92
17. Elena Fanchini, ITA 1:32.96
18. Emily Brydon, CAN 1:32.98
19. Andreas Fischbacher, AUT 1:33.02
20. Brigitte Obermoser, AUT 1:32.12
21. Caroline Ruiz Castillo, SPA 1:33.32
22. Magda Mattel, FRA 1:33.46
22. Martina Lechner, AUT 1:33.46
24. Kelly Vanderbeek, CAN 1:33.62
25. Urska Rabic, SLO 1:33.70
26. Julia Mancuso, USA 1:33.73
27. Allison Forsyth, CAN 1:33.78
27. Daniela Ceccarelli, ITA 1:33.78
29. Nadia Styger, SUI 1:33.82
30. Caroline Lalive, USA 1:33.86
other North Americans:
31. Jonna Mendes, USA 1:33.98
37. Kirsten Clark, USA 1:33.99
41. Genevieve Simard, CAN 1:34.08
43. Libby Ludlow, USA 1:34.21
49. Kaylin Richardson, USA 1:34.72
59. Stacey Cook, USA 1:35.31
63. Sherry Lawrence, CAN 1:35.91

THE SCOOP

equipment
Women’s SG, Sancicario, Feb. 25, 2005 Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Paerson, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
2 Kostner, Fischer/Lange/Tyrolia
3 Dorfmeister, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
3 Maze, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
5 Gerg, Volkl/Lange/Marker
5 Kostelic, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
7 Goetschl, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
8 Berger, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
9 Jacquemod, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
9 Wirth, Blizzard/Lange/Marker

Women’s Super G, Sansicario, Italy, Feb. 25, 2005. … It is the 27th of a 32 race, one combined women’s World Cup schedule. … It is the seventh of eight schedule super G’s. … The winning margin is better than a half second, but beyond first place the race is extremely close with ties for third, fifth, ninth, 11th, 22nd, 27th and a three way deadlock for 31st. … The top 13 skiers are within a second of the winner, top 22 within a second of second place.

It is the 25th career win for Anja Paerson. … It is her first career SG win. … 12 of her 19 SG results have come since January of 2004. … It is her third win of the season, each in a different discipline. … She needs to win a downhill to complete the cycle.

It is the 51st career podium for Isolde Kostner. … Her first of the season. … It is her first SG podium since 11/29/02 at Aspen.

It is the 51st career podium for Michaela Dorfmeister as well. … It is her fifth of the season, the other four being wins.

It is the seventh career podium for Tina Maze. … Her fifth this season.

It is the 20th time Lindsey Kildow has been 13th or better in her career… the 14th time this season in 15 scored races. … In any race in which she has been as close or closer to the winner in time she has been fifth or better. … It is the second best result of the season for Bryna McCarty and a career best SG result. … It is the 36th career top 20 for Emily Brydon. … Ninth of the season. … It is the 11th career scoring result for Kelly Vanderbeek. … It is the 19th scoring result of the season for Julia Mancuso. …The eighth of the season for Allison Forsyth. … The 13th for Caroline Lalive.

Anja Paerson stretches the women’s overall standings lead 1061-998 over Kostelic (tied for fifth in race). … Michaela Dorfmeister is third at 916 and Tanja Poutinianen (did not race) drops to third at 909. … Lindsey Kildow is the top American in sixth at 747. … There are five races and a combined remaining on the schedule. … Dorfmeister takes the SG standings lead 393-371 from Renate Goetchl (7th in race). … Kildow is third at 346. … The SG title will go to one of those three.