Hoefl-Riesch leads first downhill training run in Bansko; Vonn second, Ross third

By Published On: February 23rd, 2012Comments Off on Hoefl-Riesch leads first downhill training run in Bansko; Vonn second, Ross third

Maria Hoefl-RieschGerman Maria Hoefl-Riesch seems to have found her downhill form late in the season. Less than a week after winning her first World Cup downhill of the season in Sochi, Russia, the defending overall champ was back in her long skis today (Feb. 23) to take the fastest time in a training run ahead of World Cup races this weekend in Bansko, Bulgaria.

Hoefl-Riesch skied the 2500-meter Marc Girardelli course in one minute, 35.54 seconds. Current overall leader American Lindsey Vonn, who has already secured this season’s World Cup downhill title, was 0.52 seconds behind Hoefl-Riesch with the second fastest time today.

Fellow American Laurenne Ross was 0.96 seconds behind the leader with the day’s third fastest time on her first trip down the course.

Swiss Lara Gut, Swede Anja Paerson and Austrian Anna Fenninger filled the remaining top six spots today in fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.

American Stacey Cook came in with the 13th-fastest time ahead of teammate Julia Mancuso, who won a World Cup parallel slalom race just two days ago, in 23rd.

The area, that hadn’t hosted the women’s World Cup tour since 2009, welcomed the women back with sunny, cloudless conditions.

There is a second training run scheduled for Friday before racing kicks off with the downhill on Saturday followed by a super G in Sunday.

Image by Gepa

Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Total Time
 1  14  206001 HOEFL-RIESCH Maria  1984  GER   1:35.54
 2  15  537544 VONN Lindsey  1984  USA   1:36.06
 3  6  538573 ROSS Laurenne  1988  USA   1:36.50
 4  21  516138 GUT Lara  1991  SUI   1:36.86
 5  5  505483 PAERSON Anja  1981  SWE   1:36.95
 6  22  55947 FENNINGER Anna  1989  AUT   1:37.12
 7  28  296427 SCHNARF Johanna  1984  ITA   1:37.18
 8  10  296472 FANCHINI Elena  1985  ITA   1:37.46
 9  1  495318 RUIZ CASTILLO Carolina  1981  SPA   1:37.48
 10  12  565243 MAZE Tina  1983  SLO   1:37.54
 11  17  55576 GOERGL Elisabeth  1981  AUT   1:37.58
 12  11  195983 ROLLAND Marion  1982  FRA   1:37.59
 13  20  537582 COOK Stacey  1984  USA   1:37.91
 14  13  355050 WEIRATHER Tina  1989  LIE   1:37.97
 15  16  296008 MERIGHETTI Daniela  1981  ITA   1:38.01
 16  27  565360 STUHEC Ilka  1990  SLO   1:38.04
 17  19  196460 MARCHAND-ARVIER Marie  1985  FRA   1:38.08
 18  2  515573 AUFDENBLATTEN Fraenzi  1981  SUI   1:38.09
 19  36  196812 PELLISSIER Marion  1988  FRA   1:38.52
 20  49  55818 KOEHLE Stefanie  1986  AUT   1:38.63
 21  43  297910 CURTONI Elena  1991  ITA   1:38.65
 22  9  55750 FISCHBACHER Andrea  1985  AUT   1:38.80
 23  18  537545 MANCUSO Julia  1984  USA   1:38.86
 24  24  425880 SEJERSTED Lotte Smiseth  1991  NOR   1:38.95
 25  30  538305 SMITH Leanne  1987  USA   1:39.03
 26  31  505886 KLING Kajsa  1988  SWE   1:39.11
 27  3  296431 STUFFER Verena  1984  ITA   1:39.39
 28  41  297702 MARSAGLIA Francesca  1990  ITA   1:39.46
 29  39  55806 ALTACHER Margret  1986  AUT   1:39.60
 30  7  196573 REVILLET Aurelie  1986  FRA   1:39.63
 31  26  538685 MCKENNIS Alice  1989  USA   1:39.72
 32  33  55970 SCHMIDHOFER Nicole  1989  AUT   1:39.80
 33  32  106849 YURKIW Larisa  1988  CAN   1:39.93
 34  25  295533 RECCHIA Lucia  1980  ITA   1:39.99
 35  29  565320 FERK Marusa  1988  SLO   1:40.09
 36  4  55913 MOSER Stefanie  1988  AUT   1:40.10
 37  38  55766 MADER Regina  1985  AUT   1:40.13
 38  35  297134 BORSOTTI Camilla  1988  ITA   1:40.36
 39  45  197006 GAUTHIER Marine  1990  FRA   1:40.50
 40  40  515560 SCHILD Martina  1981  SUI   1:40.53
 41  47  505632 LINDELL-VIKARBY Jessica  1984  SWE   1:40.80
 42  23  515806 KAMER Nadja  1986  SUI   1:41.01
 43  34  196968 BAILET Margot  1990  FRA   1:41.08
 44  46  375018 COLETTI Alexandra  1983  MON   1:41.42
 45  37  516145 KUENG Mirena  1988  SUI   1:41.84
 46  8  55978 VOGLREITER Mariella  1989  AUT   1:42.69
 47  48  245066 MIKLOS Edit  1988  HUN   1:43.22
Did not start 1st run
   42  55690 HOSP Nicole  1983  AUT   
Did not finish 1st run
   44  206367 HRONEK Veronique  1991  GER   

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About the Author: Eric Williams