Lindsey Kildow takes the Lake Louise downhill for first career World Cup win

By Published On: December 4th, 2004Comments Off on Lindsey Kildow takes the Lake Louise downhill for first career World Cup win

Lindsey Kildow takes the Lake Louise downhill for first career World Cup winLindsey Kildow got the first victory of her young World Cup career today at Lake Louise. The 2004 Sprint/Ski Racing Junior of the Year, Kildow is a native of Minnesota who raced in Vail before graduating to the U.S. Ski Team.

“My goal for this season was to win,” said Kildow in a post-race telephone call. “It’s great that I did it in the first race of the season. It’s a pretty good indication of how fast I am now. It gives me lots of confidence. I’m hoping I can win again, maybe even the downhill title. I’d like to be holding that globe in my hand at the end of the season.”

The 20-year-old Kildow battled wind and swirling snow on a shortened men’s Olympic downhill course to take the win in 1:23.44. She raced with her ponytail wrapped in a red-white-and-blue kercheif. In the finish area, she kissed her Rossignol skis.

“I almost had a heart attack,” said Kildow, whose previous best finishes were third and fifth last year in downhills at Cortina, Italy. “The coolest part was waiting in the finish. Dorfmeister was so close, and Goetschl was so mad, and I thought, ‘Gosh, what did I do here?'”

Carole Montillet-Carles of France was second in 1:23.63, followed by Germany’s Hilde Gerg, who finished in 1:23.69. “I was a little bit stressed after the training because I didn’t feel so well,” Montillet-Carles told the Associated Press. “I was searching for the good line. Today, I wanted to be aggressive. I did not make the perfect run but I was very happy.”

Caroline Lalive was ninth, Julia Mancuso 15th, Bryna McCarty 17th, Jonna Mendes 19th and Kirsten Clark 20th. Along with Bryon Friedman’s seventh in Beaver Creek, they made it a World Cup point-bonanza day for the USA.

A dark spot on the Americans’ day came when Libby Ludlow was taken from the hill by helicopter after a fall. There is still no definitive word on her injuries, but head American coach Patrick Riml said it did not appear serious, although she was taken to a hospital for examination.

World Cup

Women’s Downhill
Lake Louise, Akberta
Dec. 3, 2004

1. Lindsey Kildow, USA 1:23.44
2. Carol Montillet-Carles, FRA 1:23.63
3. Hilde Gerg, GER 1:23.69
4. Michaela Dorfmeister, AUT 1:23.72
5. Renate Goetschl, AUT 1:24.19
6. Petra Haltmayr, GER 1:24.22
7. Sylviane Berthod, SUI 1:24.26
8. Isolde Kostner, ITA 1:24.28
9. Caroline Lalive, USA 1:24.46
10. Fraenzi Aufdenblatten, SUI 1:24.50
11. Brigitte Obermoser, AUT 1:24.60
12. Katja Wirth, AUT 1:24.61
13. Janica Kostelic, CRO 1:24.77
14. Ingrid Jacquemod, FRA 1:24.81
15. Julia Mancuso, USA 1:24.82
16. Anja Paerson, SWE 1:24.92
17. Bryna McCarty, USA 1:24.98
18. Janette Hargin, SWE 1:25.07
19. Jonna Mendes, USA 1:25.18
20. Kirsten Clark, USA 1:25.20
21. Barbara Kleon, ITA 1:25.24
22. Cathrine Borghi, SUI 1:25.31
23. Kathrin Wilhelm, AUT 1:25.35
24. Karin Blaser, AUT 1:25.39
25. Marlies Schild, AUT 1:25.39
26. Lucia Recchia, ITA 1:25.40
26. Daniella Ceccarelli, ITA 1:25.40
28. Astrid Vierthaler, AUT 1:25.49
29. Monika Dumermuth, SUI 1:25.53
30. Melanie Turgeon, CAN 1:25.57
other North Americans:
32. Stacey Cook, USA 1:25.63
33. Kelly Vanderbeek, CAN 1:25.71
36. Anne Marie LeFrancois, CAN 1:25.86
51. Genevieve Simard, CAN 1:27.23
53. Sherry Lawrence, CAN 1:27.44
55. Kaylin Richardson, USA 1:27.57
DNF: Emily Brydon, CAN; Libby Ludlow, USA.

THE SCOOP

By Hank McKee

equipment
Women’s Downhill, Lake Louise, Dec. 3, 2004
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Kildow, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
2 Montillet-Carles, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
3 Gerg, Volkl/Lange/Marker
4 Dorfmeister, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
5 Goetschl, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
6 Haltmayr, Fischer/Lange/Atomic
7 Berthod, Dynastar/Lange/Look
8 Kostner, Fischer/Lange/Tyrolia
9 Lalive, Head/Lange/Tyrolia
10 Aufdenblatten, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

Analysis by Hank McKee

Women’s Downhill, Lake Louise, Alberta, Dec. 3, 2004

It is the fifth race of a 32 race women’s World Cup schedule. … It is the first of eight scheduled women’s downhills. … The top eight skiers were within a second.

It is the first career win for Lindsey Kildow and her second career podium. … She had been third in DH at Cortina d’Ampezzo 1/18/2004. … It is just her 17th scoring finish, her first coming in December 2001. … It is the 147th U.S. win, and the fifth of the season. … Americans have never won five before Dec. 3 before. … Kildow becomes the 30th U.S. skier to tally a World Cup win. … the 17th woman. … She joins Tommy Moe, AJ Kitt, Greg Jones, Bob Cochran, Spider Sabich, Abbi Fisher, Pam Fletcher and Kirsten Clark as U.S. skiers with one World Cup win. … The last time two Americans won different World Cup races on the same day was Kyle Rasmussen at Kvitfjell (DH) and Picabo Street at Lenzerheide (DH) 3/11/1995. … Kildow joins Cindy Nelson, Holly Flanders, Fletcher, Hilary Lindh, Street, and Clark as U.S. women DH winners. In three races at Lake Louise this season, Americans have won all three. The U.S. had 10 wins in all of last season.

It is the 23rd career World Cup podium for Carole Montillet-Carles. … It is her 23rd scoring result at Lake Louise, and her ninth podium at the site. … She won the Cup SG title in 2003 and the Olympic DH gold in 2002. … It is the 53rd career podium for Hilde Gerg. … her 18th in DH. … Her last podium closed a three race streak at Cortina 1/14-17/2004 where she finished 3-3-1 (SG-SG-DH). … She has won two Cup SG titles, ’97 and 2002.

It is the 25th career top 10 result for Caroline Lalive, her last coming 2/21/04 in the Are SG. … It is the ninth top 15 result for Julia Mancuso, … and third of the season. … It is her third best career DH result. … It is the fourth best result for Bryna McCarty’s career. … and her best result at Lake Louise where she has earned four of her seven scoring results. … It is the 37th career top 20 result for Jonna Mendes. … It is her 16th scoring finish at Lake Louise. … It is the 60th career top 20 finish for Kirsten Clark. … her 16th scoring finish at Lake Louise. … It is the 90th scoring result for Melanie Turgeon.

Tanja Poutiainen maintains her hold on the overall World Cup standings 340-275 over Anja Paerson. … Poutiainen did not race, Paerson finished 16th. …Kristina Koznick is the top American in fifth with 157pts. … Kildow is tied for seventh with 100. … The U.S. closes the gap on Austria in the Nations Cup. … Austria has 1799pts, the U.S. 1166 and the Swiss are third at 713. … In the women’s standings the U.S. moved past Sweden into second and sits behind Austria 565-443 with the Swedes at 419.

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About the Author: Pete Rugh