Lake Louise: Vonn rips through field for DH win

By Published On: December 1st, 2007Comments Off on Lake Louise: Vonn rips through field for DH win


The name on the deed has changed, but the owner of the Lake Louise downhill track hasn't.  Lindsey Kildow — now Lindsey Vonn — overpowered the field Saturday (Dec. 1) for her fourth win in four years at Lake Louise. She had to best the "Speed Queen" Renate Goetschl to claim the first downhill win of the 2008 World Cup season, and she did so by an astounding 0.78 of a second.
The placing for Goetschl will have Austria breathing a sigh of relief. The 32 year old veteran gamely tried to close out last season with a broken leg bone, eventually electing surgery just ahead of the World Cup finals. Although she has repeatedly said she is still working her way back into shape, this result dispels that notion and proves she will be a factor on the Cup circuit as she shoots for a sixth downhill title. Vonn, too, skipped the last weeks of last season's tour with a knee injury.


THE NAME on the deed has changed, but the owner of the Lake Louise downhill track hasn't. Lindsey Kildow — now Lindsey Vonn — overpowered the field Saturday (Dec. 1) for her fourth win in four years at Lake Louise. She had to best the "Speed Queen" Renate Goetschl to claim the first downhill win of the 2008 World Cup season, and she did so by an astounding 0.78 of a second.
    “Fortunately I managed to pull together a strong run — not perfect, but good enough to be once again the fastest. I feel elate and immensely happy. I definitely wish to be as successful now that I’m married as I used to in recent seasons. I feel sort of completed since I married Thomas and I’m enjoying my life even more now.”
     Vonn, who achieved some promising performances in the technical events at Sölden and Panorama, hopes to become a main contender in the fight for the overall and downhill World Cups.
    “When I was a child I dreamed about clinching the overall title, it’s a huge achievement for a ski racer – but I would be happy with any crystal globe.”
    The placing for Goetschl will have Austria breathing a sigh of relief. The 32-year-old veteran gamely tried to close out last season with a broken leg bone, eventually electing surgery just ahead of the World Cup finals. Although she has repeatedly said she is still working her way back into shape, this result dispels that notion and proves she will be a factor on the Cup circuit as she shoots for a sixth downhill title. Vonn, too, skipped the last weeks of last season's tour with a knee injury.
     “I was aiming for a top 15 this morning, I’m totally surprised, it’s amazing,” said the multiple downhill World Cup champion who set a record of 10 wins in the same area last winter when she won the downhill at Cortina d’Ampezzo. She is also the last Austrian to win the downhill at Lake Louise, in 1998.
     “I only started to train at the end of last summer and I still need to get some mileage under my skis to feel as confident and prepared as in past years,” Goetschl added. “I guess that my experience and the pleasure to be racing again here explain that wonderful and unexpected performance. It’s great to start the season so well, I can be more relaxed now before my next races.”
    There also was relief for the hosting Canadians as Britt Janyk claimed the third podium spot and the first points of the season for the Canadian women. She said she was "speechless" after finally achieving her first podium. She pushed early leader Maria Riesch of German off the podium.
    “I was definitely inspired by Jan Hudec’s success here last week and I felt ready for a good race today after my last strong training runs,” Janyk said. “I surely didn’t expect to get my first podium in downhill because I feel stronger in Super-G or giant slalom but I take it. It’s wonderful to excel her today in front of my friends and family and I’m looking forward for the next speed events in Whistler next year.”
     Janyk is the first Canadian to podium in downhill at Lake Louise — and the first in the country since Kerrin Lee Gartner was second at Panorama in 1992.   
   
Vonn's teammates also confident she could win   
The race, held in sub-zero conditions, seemed to be held in sections. "Nobody thought Maria Riesch's time was beatable," said U.S. women's speed coach Alex Hoedlmoser. "And then Goetschl came down and just smashed it, which was a surprise because in training she was back there."
    Running three bibs after Goetschl, Vonn uncorked the run of the day. "We were confident," said Hoedlmoser, "but not that confident. It was the first speed race of the season and you never know. You think you know, but you're not sure. So it was a very exciting race."
    But Vonn and the other U.S. women were confident she would win.
    "She knew she could get it. I knew she could do it. We all knew she could do it," said teammate Leanne Smith who also had a stellar day, placing 23rd in her first World Cup start.
     Vonn said winning today was about having confidence in herself and in the hill, which she has dominated over the past four years.
    "I just love the hill," she said. "There are certain hills that any athlete loves and feels confident on, and this is my hill. … I just know the hill like the back of my hand."
    The Canadians got three scoring results as Emily Brydon posted 16th and Kelly Vanderbeek 21st. The U.S. also got three scorers, two of them expected and one pleasant surprise. Julia Mancuso finished 13th but Smith turned heads like Andrew Weibrecht did yesterday in the men's downhill when he came from the back of the pack to take 10th.
  "She was really impressive in her first World Cup start," Hoedlmoser said. "She's a really good kid, a fast kid. It's good to have her around. We need someone from the back to push a little bit. She had fast sections in training, but couldn't put it altogether. Today she got it right."
    Smith was pretty pleased by scoring World Cup points in her first showing.
   "I'm psyched," she said. "I couldn't have asked for anything better."

— Vanessa Pierce and Patrick Lang contributed to this story


 

THE SCOOP
By Hank McKee

Equipment
Women's Downhill, Lake Louise, Canada, Dec. 1, 2007

Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Vonn, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
2 Goetschl, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
3 Janyk, Volkl/Lange/Marker
4 Riesch, Head/Lange/Tyrolia
5 Jacquemod, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
6 Holaus, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker
7 Paerson, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
8 Meissnitzer, Volkl/Fischer/Marker
9 Marchand-Arvier, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
10 Merighetti, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

Women's Downhill, Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada, Dec. 1, 2007. … It is the fifth race of the women's 39 event World Cup schedule. … It is the first of 10 scheduled downhills. … It is the third of four Cup races at Lake Louise this season, the first of two women's races. … It is the 64th World Cup race hosted at Lake Louise. … the 39th downhill. … the 27th women's downhill.
    It is the eighth career World Cup win for Vonn and sixth in downhill. … It is her fourth DH win at Lake Louise, matching the record mark of Italian racer Isolde Kostner. … She has won in four consecutive seasons – but not consecutive races as Lake Louise hosted double downhills in 2004, 2005 and 2006. … In 12 completed races (DH and super G) at Lake Louise, Vonn has been on seven podiums.
    It is the 104th World Cup podium for Renate Goetschl. … The 56th in downhill. … And her 13th podium at Lake Louise (9 in DH, 4 in SG). … She has won the downhill title five times, including last season which ended prematurely.
    It is the first career podium for Britt Janyk, her previous best being fourth achieved in super G at SanSicario twice last season (Jan 26 and Jan 28). … Her best previous result in DH is 10th scored at Tarvisio March 3, 2007. … She had no downhill results at all previous to last season.
    It is the third best career result in downhill at Lake Louise for Julia Mancuso. … She was fourth Dec. 2, 2005 and 10th Dec. 2, 2006. … It is the fourth best DH result at Lake Louise for Emily Brydon, her best being fourth Dec. 6, 2003. … It is the eighth best of nine scoring results at Lake Louise for Kelly Vanderbeek. … It is the first career scoring result – and her first World Cup start – for Leanne Smith. … She becomes the 14th different U.S. skier to score this season.
    Winning margin is .78 of a second. … Third place is over a second out (1.27). … Top eight within two seconds. … top 23 within three seconds. … Marlies Schild (47th in race) maintains her hold on the World Cup overall standings 262-209 over Denise Karbon (did not race). … Nicole Hosp (11th in race) tightens the standings in third at 186. … Julia Mancuso is the top American in the overall standings in sixth with 141pts. … Vonn sits 10th overall with 122pts. … As it is the first DH of the season Vonn holds the DH standings lead 100-80 over Goetschl. … top five skiers were from different countries and utilized different brand skis.

 


Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Total Time FIS Points
 1  22  537544 VONN Lindsey  1984  USA   1:48.69  0.00
 2  19  55069 GOETSCHL Renate  1975  AUT   1:49.47  9.69
 3  24  106022 JANYK Britt  1980  CAN   1:49.96  15.77
 4  11  206001 RIESCH Maria  1984  GER   1:50.05  16.89
 5  16  195671 JACQUEMOD Ingrid  1978  FRA   1:50.09  17.39
 6  28  55669 HOLAUS Maria  1983  AUT   1:50.13  17.89
 7  21  505483 PAERSON Anja  1981  SWE   1:50.37  20.87
 8  23  55212 MEISSNITZER Alexandra  1973  AUT   1:50.40  21.24
 9  14  196460 MARCHAND-ARVIER Marie  1985  FRA   1:50.77  25.83
 10  30  296008 MERIGHETTI Daniela  1981  ITA   1:50.79  26.08
 11  8  55690 HOSP Nicole  1983  AUT   1:50.83  26.58
 12  10  55576 GOERGL Elisabeth  1981  AUT   1:50.90  27.45
 13  20  537545 MANCUSO Julia  1984  USA   1:50.95  28.07
 14  26  495318 RUIZ CASTILLO Carolina  1981  SPA   1:50.97  28.32
 15  2  55588 RUMPFHUBER Ingrid  1981  AUT   1:51.03  29.06
 16  12  105997 BRYDON Emily  1980  CAN   1:51.10  29.93
 17  38  515560 SCHILD Martina  1981  SUI   1:51.13  30.31
 18  4  296472 FANCHINI Elena  1985  ITA   1:51.14  30.43
 19  18  515170 STYGER Nadia  1978  SUI   1:51.26  31.92
 20  29  515409 BERTHOD Sylviane  1977  SUI   1:51.31  32.54
 21  13  106402 VANDERBEEK Kelly  1983  CAN   1:51.34  32.91
 22  17  515747 GISIN Dominique  1985  SUI   1:51.44  34.16
 23  46  538305 SMITH Leanne  1987  USA   1:51.57  35.77
 24  43  206175 STECHERT Gina  1987  GER   1:51.70  37.39
 25  44  196573 REVILLET Aurelie  1986  FRA   1:51.85  39.25
 26  15  55750 FISCHBACHER Andrea  1985  AUT   1:51.93  40.24
 27  27  505449 BENT Nike  1981  SWE   1:52.08  42.11
 28  25  225206 ALCOTT Chemmy  1982  GBR   1:52.11  42.48
 29  57  296431 STUFFER Verena  1984  ITA   1:52.21  43.72
 30  6  515429 DUMERMUTH Monika  1977  SUI   1:52.28  44.59
 31  32  55691 SPONRING Christine  1983  AUT   1:52.31  44.96
 32  40  565278 RABIC Urska  1985  SLO   1:52.33  45.21
 33  33  55970 SCHMIDHOFER Nicole  1989  AUT   1:52.39  45.96
 34  42  538038 MARSHALL Chelsea  1986  USA   1:52.41  46.20
 35  56  206035 CHMELAR Fanny  1985  GER   1:52.45  46.70
 35  3  515348 BORGHI Catherine  1976  SUI   1:52.45  46.70
 37  1  515244 CASANOVA Carmen  1980  SUI   1:52.48  47.07
 38  39  296427 SCHNARF Johanna  1984  ITA   1:52.49  47.20
 38  37  196726 BARTHET Anne-Sophie  1988  FRA   1:52.49  47.20
 40  52  196412 WEYRICH Clothilde  1985  FRA   1:52.61  48.69
 41  35  295136 CECCARELLI Daniela  1975  ITA   1:52.64  49.06
 42  51  536884 LUDLOW Libby  1981  USA   1:52.69  49.68
 43  31  155415 ZAHROBSKA Sarka  1985  CZE   1:52.78  50.80
 44  49  537565 KELLEHER Keely  1984  USA   1:52.93  52.66
 45  50  505632 LINDELL-VIKARBY Jessica  1984  SWE   1:52.98  53.28
 46  34  106465 LAWRENCE Sherry  1984  CAN   1:53.00  53.53
 47  7  55590 SCHILD Marlies  1981  AUT   1:53.01  53.66
 48  58  505886 KLING Kajsa  1988  SWE   1:53.05  54.15
 49  5  537582 COOK Stacey  1984  USA   1:53.26  56.76
 50  47  375018 COLETTI Alexandra  1983  MON   1:53.66  61.73
 51  55  195837 MATTEL Magda  1980  FRA   1:53.67  61.85
 52  36  537626 RICHARDSON Kaylin  1984  USA   1:53.86  64.21
 53  45  565261 ROBNIK Petra  1984  SL
 1:53.94  65.21
 54  48  297070 TEGLIA Eleonora Anna  1987  ITA   1:54.20  68.44
 55  41  296473 SIORPAES Wendy  1985  ITA   1:54.37  70.55
 56  53  296763 HOFER Larissa  1986  ITA   1:54.80  75.89
 57  59  495615 MORLANS Leyre  1987  SPA   1:58.38  120.36

Did not finish 1st run : POLESCHUK Danielle (CAN)
Disqualified 1st run : AUFDENBLATTEN Fraenzi (SUI) 

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