Rebensburg grabs World Cup GS in Zwiesel

By Published On: February 6th, 2011Comments Off on Rebensburg grabs World Cup GS in Zwiesel

After being put off by fog and wind for three days, a women’s World Cup giant slalom was finally held today (Feb. 6) in Arber-Zwiesel, Germany as Gemany’s own Viktoria Rebensburg took the victory.

Rebensburg secured her second World Cup win of the season (her first came at the season opening race in Soelden) with a half second advantage over Italian Federica Brignone in second. Austrians Kathrin Zettel and Elizabeth Goergl finished third and fourth, respectively with Goergl tied by Anemone Marmottan of France.

Rebensburg held a 0.74-second lead after the first run and only gave up a small portion of her advantage as Brignone charged to the fastest second-run time.

Canadian Marie-Pier Prefontaine led all North Americans in ninth place for her first career top-10 World Cup finish. Lindsey Vonn headed up the U.S. Team in 18th ahead of Julia Mancuso in 21st and Sarah Schleper in 25th.

Adverse weather threw this weekend’s schedule several curve balls. After winds and fog forced organizers to swap this weekend’s schedule, running the slalom on Friday instead of the originally scheduled GS. But the weather worsened on Saturday and the race was postponed until today. The stubborn fog held on through this morning’s first start time (9:15 CET), and officials pushed the start time three hours later when the sun finally broke up the haze.

“They were so desperate to get this GS completed we had to wait it out. But it always comes at an expense, especially for Lindsey and Julia who need to go straight into the super G and downhill training runs and then into the tech races,” said U.S. head coach Alex Hoedlmoser, of the packed schedule leading up to next week’s World championships. “It’s going to be a lot of days in a row and is far from ideal preparations for the World Championships”

World Cup overall leader Maria Riesch of Germany landed 11th today and currently holds a 1256-1100 lead on Vonn in the overall standings.

Hoeldmoser was encouraged by his team’s effort today. “Lindsey skied awesome in the steeps today, it was fantastic actually. Then she started to back off a bit on that last breakover, but her GS is still very strong. She just needs to keep the intensity all the way to the finish,” said Hoeldmoser. “Sarah definitely has it. She makes some sweet turns and then makes mistakes and it just kills her, especially on a tough course like we had today.”
 
Winner of the last three consecutive World Cup GS races, France’s Tessa Worley stood second after the first run but slipped to 10th after struggling in the second run. She maintains the overall GS lead with 358 points. Rebensburg stands second with 335 points.

The world’s top racers will now head to Garmisch, Germany to compete in the 2011 FIS World Championships, which begin Tuesday, Feb. 8.

Image by Gepa

The SCOOP
by Hank McKee

Women’s giant slalom, Arber-Zweisel, Germany, Feb. 6, 2011
Equipment
Skier, skis/boots/bindings

1 Rebensburg, Nordica/Nordica/
2 Brignone, Rossignol/Lange/Rossignol
3 Zettel, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
4 Marmottan, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
4 Goergl, Head/Head/Head
6 Fischbacher, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
7 Poutiainen, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
8 Curtoni, Fischer/Lange/Fischer
9 Prefontaine, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
10 Worley, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol

Women’s Giant Slalom, Arber-Zweisel, Germany, Feb. 6, 2011
. … It is the 26th race of the women’s original 2011 World Cup schedule. … but the 22nd to be held, and it was a day or two late depending on who is counting. … The women’s schedule has dropped four ot its last eight scheduled races. … It is the fifth of six GS’s on the schedule  to date to be held with three, including a postponement, remaining.

It is the second career World Cup win for Viktoria Rebesburg, both coming in GS this season.

It is the second career World Cup podium for Federica Brignone, the other also in GS, a third place finish at Aspen Nov. 19, 2009. … It marks the seventh podium for Italy this season, from six different skiers and all without a win.

It is the 34th career World Cup podium for Kathrin Zettel. … the 16th in GS. … It is her first of the season. … first since placing second in slalom last season March 13 in Garmisch.

It is a career best result, of three, for Marie-Pier Prefontaine all of them coming since November 2009. … For both Lindsey Vonn and Julia Mancuso it is the 17th scoring result of the season for having scored in six disciplines (including parallel). … It is the sixth score of the season for Sarah Schleper. … She has scored in four GS’s and two slaloms. … It is her first tally in a month and two days. … It is the 10th score of the season for Marie-Michele Gagnon.

Maria Riesch (11th in race) leads the overall World Cup 1256-1100 over Lindsey Vonn. … Elisabeth Goergl (tied for fourth in race) is third at 678pts, Poutiainen (7th in race) is close behind in fourth at 676. … Gagnon is top Canadian overall in 29th place with 169pts. … Tessa Worley (10th in race) leads the GS standings 358-335 over Rebensburg. … Poutiainen is third at 216 with Goergl and Kathrin Hoelzl (did not race) tied in fourth with 200pts. … Mancuso is the top American on the GS list in 11th with 141pts. … Gagnon is top Canadian in 15th with 75pts. … Austria leads the women’s Nations Cup 3348-2618 over Germany. … The U.S. is third with 2069ps. … Canada tenth with 392pts.

Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Run 1 Run 2 Total Time FIS Points
 1  6  205218 REBENsBURG Viktoria  1989  GER   45.82  51.14  1:36.96  0.00
 2  10  297601 BRIGNONE Federica  1990  ITA   47.44  50.05  1:37.49  4.76
 3  2  55838 ZETTEL Kathrin  1986  AUT   47.00  50.85  1:37.85  7.99
 4  11  196793 MARMOTTAN Anemone  1988  FRA   47.27  50.66  1:37.93  8.70
 4  1  55576 GOERGL Elisabeth  1981  AUT   46.69  51.24  1:37.93  8.70
 6  15  55750 FISCHBACHER Andrea  1985  AUT   47.27  50.77  1:38.04  9.69
 7  4  185140 POUTIAINEN Tanja  1980  FIN   46.67  51.61  1:38.28  11.84
 8  27  296509 CURTONI Irene  1985  ITA   48.27  50.06  1:38.33  12.29
 9  32  106825 PREFONTAINE Marie-Pier  1988  CAN   48.29  50.08  1:38.37  12.65
 10  5  196928 WORLEY Tessa  1989  FRA   46.56  51.92  1:38.48  13.64
 11  3  206001 RIESCH Maria  1984  GER   47.56  50.96  1:38.52  14.00
 12  39  206174 STABER Veronika  1987  GER   48.33  50.25  1:38.58  14.54
 13  19  296379 GIANESINI Giulia  1984  ITA   47.71  50.93  1:38.64  15.07
 14  18  295445 KARBON Denise  1980  ITA   47.66  51.02  1:38.68  15.43
 15  31  55947 FENNINGER Anna  1989  AUT   47.95  50.85  1:38.80  16.51
 16  37  297195 HOFER Anna  1988  ITA   47.87  51.01  1:38.88  17.23
 16  13  55898 BREM Eva-Maria  1988  AUT   47.76  51.12  1:38.88  17.23
 18  17  55590 SCHILD Marlies  1981  AUT   48.22  50.68  1:38.90  17.41
 18  16  537544 VONN Lindsey  1984  USA   47.67  51.23  1:38.90  17.41
 20  25  295435 GIUS Nicole  1980  ITA   48.57  50.50  1:39.07  18.93
 21  14  537545 MANCUSO Julia  1984  USA   47.69  51.46  1:39.15  19.65
 22  9  505760 PIETILAE-HOLMNER Maria  1986  SWE   47.49  51.71  1:39.20  20.10
 23  26  196179 BERTRAND Marion  1984  FRA   47.51  51.73  1:39.24  20.46
 24  8  196725 BARIOZ Taina  1988  FRA   47.28  51.97  1:39.25  20.55
 25  21  536481 SCHLEPER Sarah  1979  USA   47.71  51.64  1:39.35  21.44
 26  41  515937 FUHRER Kathrin  1988  SUI   48.30  51.33  1:39.63  23.96
 27  30  506399 HECTOR Sara  1992  SWE   48.17  51.53  1:39.70  24.59
 28  29  296476 ALFIERI Camilla  1985  ITA   48.51  51.53  1:40.04  27.64
 29  22  105269 GAGNON Marie-Michele  1989  CAN   48.23  52.74  1:40.97  35.98
Did not qualify 1st run
   53  107068 PHELAN Brittany  1991  CAN         
   52  196806 NOENS Nastasia  1988  FRA         
   51  155699 PAULATHOVA Katerina  1993  CZE         
   50  515997 FEIERABEND Denise  1989  SUI         
   49  565331 LAVTAR Katarina  1988  SLO         
   48  505679 HANSDOTTER Frida  1985  SWE         
   47  155415 ZAHROBSKA Sarka  1985  CZE         
   46  297702 MARSAGLIA Francesca  1990  ITA         
   45  435210 GASIENICA DANIEL Agnieszka  1987  POL         
   44  505908 SMEDH Veronica  1988  SWE         
   43  205239 WIRTH Barbara  1989  GER         
   42  538284 MCJAMES Megan  1987  USA         
   40  495065 RIENDA Maria Jose  1975  SPA         
   38  196726 BARTHET Anne-Sophie  1988  FRA         
   36  565268 DREV Ana  1985  SLO         
   35  565315 ROBNIK Mateja  1987  SLO         
   34  705287 ZUZULOVA Veronika  1984  SVK         
   33  425629 LOESETH Lene  1986  NOR         
   24  55690 HOSP Nicole  1983  AUT         
   23  206355 DUERR Lena  1991  GER         
   20  55818 KOEHLE Stefanie  1986  AUT         
Did not finish 2nd run
   28  505632 LINDELL-VIKARBY Jessica  1984  SWE         
Did not finish 1st run
   12  55759 KIRCHGASSER Michaela  1985  AUT         
   7  296259 MOELGG Manuela  1983  ITA         

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About the Author: Eric Williams