Aspen: Levi winner Schild leads first run of slalom

Austrian Marlies Schild, aiming for career slalom win No. 8, dominated the first run of women’s slalom on Ajax Mountain on Sunday, as some costly mistakes put the Americans out of podium contention.

ASPEN, Colorado — Austrian Marlies Schild, aiming for career slalom win No. 8, dominated the first run of women’s slalom on Ajax Mountain on Sunday, as some costly mistakes put the Americans out of podium contention.
    Schild, winner of the season-opening slalom at Levi, Finland, on Nov. 11, descended Lower Ruthie’s Run in 51.28 seconds, .40 ahead of second-place finisher Therese Borssen of Sweden. Austrian Nicole Hosp was .73 back in third on a course that saw several inches of new snow fall in the early morning.
    “I was really nervous today because I didn’t finish yesterday,” said Schild, who was disqualified in the first run of Saturday’s giant slalom. “Today I made the same kind of mistake as yesterday, and knew I had to take a lot of risk to make up time. Yesterday, the risk didn’t pay off and I went out. But today I dodged elimination and got to the bottom.
    “I’m surprised by the size of my lead because I didn’t have a perfect run.”
    Resi Stiegler was the top American, 2.45 seconds back in a tie for 13th. Lindsey Kildow was 15th and Julia Mancuso 21st.
    “I just didn’t really look ahead, or between gates I didn’t set up enough for those, so I got behind and I was a little off-balance,” Stiegler said. “But I fought all the way to the bottom.”
    All three early starting Americans struggled in a technical section on the upper half of the course.
    “It’s a tough hill for slalom because there’s so many rolls and it’s all over the place,” said Stiegler, who rallied to finish 10th at Levi. “For slalom, it’s still great, but you have to be so on top of it and if you screw up on one gate it costs you the whole race.”
    Lighting conditions were variable, with many of the early racers skiing in light snowflakes and flat light. By racer 20, the sun had fully emerged. Stiegler said the team’s ski techs didn’t do any special preparation for the slalom.
    “We didn’t know it was going to snow this much, that was kind of a shocker — but the sun’s out now,” she said. “My warm-up was kind of pathetic because I couldn’t see out of my goggles for a while, but I’m glad that the sun finally came out.”
    Kildow said, “I was all over the place. I never really got my rhythm and I just kept getting ejected out of the course. I actually was surprised at my time for how terrible I skied. Next run will hopefully be better.”
    Other Americans on the 62-racer start list were Caitlin Ciccone, who just missed qualifying for second run after finishing 32nd, Jessica Kelley (37th), Jenny Lathrop (38th), Laurel Carter (43rd), Katie Hitchcock (DNF) and Kaylin Richardson (DSQ). Second run was set for 1 p.m.
    “I could have done a better job up top,” said Ciccone, who made her World Cup debut Saturday. “It’s hard when it’s bumpy like that. You’ve got to stand on your ski and hope that you carry your speed turn to turn. I had a little bobble, it's just getting off-balance and not being forward. But I definitely kept charging.
    “I heard Resi in the start say, ‘It’s not going to feel good, just go for it.’ ”
    The race was the World Cup debut for Carter. “I was definitely nervous,” she said. “The crowd, all the people. But I was definitely glad that it was in the States.
    “I didn’t really have any expectations going into today. I thought I would be starting dead last but I wasn’t, so that was exciting. I just wanted to go out and give it my all and where I end up I end up.”
    Swede Anja Paerson, third in last season's slalom standings, was sixth in the first run, .99 seconds out but within striking distance of the podium. “I’m pretty happy because I skied pretty poorly in some parts and had some mistakes. I don’t know, I didn’t get the edge to go clean in the beginning of the turn and it was hard for me," she said.
   “I’m going to try to get a podium for sure. I think I have a good shoot at it. I want to try to be the best on my team because this season it’s been hard.”

— Sam Flickinger and Hilary Lund contributed to this story