Lienz: Karbon wins third GS, Mancuso second

Italian Denise Karbon collected her third World Cup Giant Slalom of the season in as many chances Friday, Dec. 28, at Lienz, Austria.
    The often injured Karbon claimed both runs readily for a margin of more than a full second over runner-up Julia Mancuso. Italian Nicole Gius was another .34 back.
It was the second time Mancuso has been second to Karbon in GS this season, also having placed second in the opening race at Soelden in October.
    Two other Americans made the cut into the final 30 for a second run, Megan McJames finished 17th for her second career scoring result and Libby Ludlow placed 22nd. Resi Stiegler crashed hard in the first run and was hospitalized.

Italian Denise Karbon collected her third World Cup Giant Slalom of the season in as many chances Friday, Dec. 28, at Lienz, Austria.
    The often injured Karbon claimed both runs readily for a margin of more than a full second over runner-up Julia Mancuso. Italian Nicole Gius was another .34 back.
    It was the second time Mancuso has been second to Karbon in GS this season, also having placed second in the opening race at Soelden in October.
    Two other Americans made the cut into the final 30 for a second run, Megan McJames finished 17th for her second career scoring result and Libby Ludlow placed 22nd. Resi Stiegler crashed hard in the first run and was hospitalized.
    Mancuso said she wanted to win the race after U.S. teammate Stiegler was injured.
    "I gave everything to win it for Resi, but Denise was just incredibly fast," Mancuso said.
    "I can only be happy to finish second,'' said Mancuso, who is the giant slalom Olympic champion but has yet to win a World Cup race in the discipline. ''My first victory will come soon. I am sure about that.''
    Stiegler was hospitalized with a broken left forearm, a broken right shinbone, torn ligaments in the right knee and a bruised face and hip after crashing halfway down the course in the first run. Stiegler will undergo surgery in the United States and will be sidelined for eight weeks, an official of the local hospital in Lienz said. Stiegler lost balance as her skis made contact in a curve. She fell and slid off course through two rows of fencing at the edge of the course. The race was interrupted for almost half an hour after the crash.
    Race director Siegried Vergeiner said he felt the fencing had been adequate. "The gates at that point of the course were installed properly and eyed up by FIS officials prior to the race," Vergeiner said. "This was just very bad luck for Resi."
     Aware of the dangers of the course, and holding a large first run lead, Karbon said she took precautions to secure her win.
    "I had a cautious second run because I was well ahead and I knew two spots on the course which were dangerous," said Karbon. Asked if she might now take aim at Anja Paerson's record of five straight wins in the discipline, Karbon said she was surprised to have won three.
    ''I am as surprised as anyone about my current form,'' she said, crediting the Italian team with providing an excellent program. ''First, I want to make sure to win the giant slalom World Cup. That's my main goal, obviously,'' she said.
    Gius, in third, was another indicator the Italian program is working. Although she lost time with a second run error, she still finished on the podium. ''I did not believe that I still finished third after that error,'' Gius said. ''I can't express how happy I am with this result.''
   The result boosts Mancuso into second place in the World Cup overall standings behind teammate Lindsey Vonn. She also now holds second in the GS standings behind Karbon. -AP contributed to this report.

The SCOOP

By Hank McKee

Equipment
Women's Giant Slalom, Lienz, Austria, Dec. 28, 2007
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Karbon, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
2 Mancuso, Rossignol/Lange/Rossignol
3 Gius, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
4 Goergl, Head/Head/Head
5 Hoelzl, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker
6 Poutiainen, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker
7 Moelgg, Rossignol/Lange/Rossignol
8 Pietilae-Holmner, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
9 Paerson, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
10 Alfieri, Head/Lange/Tyrolia

Women's Giant Slalom, Lienz, Austria, Dec. 28, 2007. … It is the 13th race of the women's 39 event 2007-08 World Cup schedule. … It is the third of eight scheduled giant slaloms and the first of three slated for consecutive weekends. … It is the first of two races -GS and slalom – set at Lienz this season. … It is the 16th race held at Lienz with the first in 1969. … The site has regularly held two gate races for women every other year since 1997. … Race is held in sun with minimal wind.
    It is the fourth career World Cup win for Denise Karbon and third this season all in GS. … Her first win came at Alta Badia Dec. 13, 2003. … It is her first result at Lienz. … It is the fourth win for Italy this season, all coming in GS, the other from Massimiliano Blardone.
    It is the 17th career podium for Julia Mancuso. … Second matches her career best in GS scored at Cortina d'Ampezzo Jan. 21, 2007 and earlier this season at Soelden Oct. 27. … It is her fourth podium of the season and third in a row having been third in both the downhill and combined at St Anton.
    It is the third career World Cup podium for Nicole Gius, the first coming in slalom Dec. 29. 2002 at Semmering and the second in GS at Kranjska Gora Jan. 6, 2007. … Her placing represents the tenth podium of the season for Italy all of them coming in slalom or GS.
   It is a career best placing for Megan McJames and just her second scoring result after a 28th in GS at Cortina last season. … It is the fourth best career GS result for Libby Ludlow and her best result of the season of five scoring finishes.
    Winning margin is 1.28 seconds. … It is the largest winning margin of the season. … Top four are within two seconds. … Top 16 within three seconds. … Lindsey Vonn (did not qualify for second run) retains the lead in the overall standings 474-444 over Julia Mancuso. … Nicole Hosp (16th in race) dips to third with 434 and Anja Paerson (ninth in race) is fourth with 412pts. … Karbon holds a secure lead in the GS standings 300-186 over Mancuso. … Elisabeth Goergl (fourth in race) is third in the GS standings with 15
9.

Did not finish 1st run : SMUTNA Michaela (CZE), LEINONEN Sanni (FIN), GIANESINI Giulia (ITA), LOLOVIC Jelena (SRB), LUSTENBERGER Christina (CAN), WEIRATHER Tina (LIE), STIEGLER Resi (USA)

Did not finish 2nd run : FISCHBACHER Andrea (AUT), PUTZER Karen (ITA), ZETTEL Kathrin (AUT)

Did not qualify 1st run : JELUSIC Ana (CRO), BRIGNONE Federica (ITA), LONGHINI Hilary (ITA), HANSDOTTER Frida (SWE), ROSS Lauren (USA), GUT Lara (SUI), MADER Regina (AUT), COOK Stacey (USA), PELTIER Audrey (FRA), SMED Veronica (SWE), KAMER Nadja (SUI), STUHEC Ilka (SLO), BARIOZ Taina (FRA), LOESETH Lene (NOR), GASIENICA DANIEL Agnieszka (POL), SCHAEDLER Sarah (LIE), LOESETH Nina (NOR), BRODNIK Vanja (SLO), KOEHLE Stefanie (AUT), FENNINGER Anna (AUT), KELLEY Jessica (USA), VONN Lindsey (USA), BORSSEN Therese (SWE), SANTON Aurelie (FRA), BREM Eva-Maria (AUT), ALCOTT Chemmy (GBR), MAZE Tina (SLO), ZUZULOVA Veronika (SVK), ZAHROBSKA Sarka (CZE)