Injury-plagued Riesch is contending once again

By Published On: January 7th, 2008Comments Off on Injury-plagued Riesch is contending once again

It’s been a long road back toward the top of the World Cup for Germany’s Maria Riesch, but her third-place finish in Sunday’s slalom at Spindleruv Mlyn was her first podium in the discipline since she won a slalom at Levi, Finland, in March 2004. 
    The 23-year-old from Garmisch-Partenkirchen, who had three World Cup wins in that 2004 season, was fighting for another win in Spindleruv Mlyn’s slalom after clocking the fastest time in the first leg. But she made a major mistake at the beginning of her second run and settled for third.
    Riesch’s solid start has propelled her into second place in the current World Cup overall standings, just a few points behind defending champ Nicole Hosp. So far, Riesch is the only racer having reached the podium in four separate disciplines this season.


IT'S BEEN A long road back toward the top of the World Cup for Germany’s Maria Riesch, but her third-place finish in Sunday’s slalom at Spindleruv Mlyn was her first podium in the discipline since she won a slalom at Levi, Finland, in March 2004.  
    The 23-year-old from Garmisch-Partenkirchen, who had three World Cup wins in that 2004 season, was fighting for another win in Spindleruv Mlyn’s slalom after clocking the fastest time in the first leg. But she made a major mistake at the beginning of her second run and settled for third.
     “It’s too bad, I gave my best at the bottom of the second run but I lost too much time with that mistake,” Riesch said. “It was surely exciting to compete for another victory in slalom, it has been a while since 2004. I was pretty nervous before the second run.
     "I'm still happy with this result, it was a goal of mine to get back in first seed in slalom this winter. I gained a lot of confidence since the season start.”
    Riesch finished fourth in slalom at Lienz on Dec. 29. That came after a second-place showing in the super G at Lake Louise, a third in downhill at St. Moritz and a second in super combined at St. Anton. Riesch’s solid start has propelled her into second place in the current World Cup overall standings, just a few points behind defending champ Nicole Hosp.
    So far, Riesch is the only racer having reached the podium in four separate disciplines this season.
    “It’s for sure fun, but the season is still long and for the moment I rather aim to improve my form and remain focused,” said Riesch, who sustained two major knee injuries in 2004 and 2005 that knocked her out of the 2005 World Championships and the 2006 Olympics.
     Last season, Riesch started fast, winning the first downhill of the season at Lake Louise. But she faded after that and ended the season 14th in the overall.
     The coming weeks could be very interesting for Riesch, who will be racing GS and slalom in Maribor this weekend. That’s followed by a stop in Cortina d’Ampezzo, where two super G’s and a downhill are planned on the famed Olimpia-Tofana course. Riesch was second in a super G there in 2004.
 
 

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About the Author: Pete Rugh