Suter takes World Cup Super G in Bad Klein

By Published On: January 8th, 2012Comments Off on Suter takes World Cup Super G in Bad Klein

After a three-year absence, Swiss racer Fabienne Suter returned to the top of the World Cup podium today (Jan. 8) in a super G race in Bad Kleinkirchheim, Austria.

Suter, third in yesterday’s downhill, made all the right moves down the 33-turn Franz Klammer course to finish with a time of one minute, 9.55 seconds. Suter’s run, the 21st of the day, was the only one good enough to bump fellow Stockli skier, Slovenian Tina Maze out of the leader’s box after she set up shop there as the tenth woman down the hill. Maze was 0.34 seconds back in second place to claim her fourth podium and third second-place finish of the season.

“To be the fastest of all for one day, that’s just great,” Suter told the Associated Press. “In the downhill, I took too many risks so I tried to do better today. But at super-G, you have only one chance after course inspection so I am very happy how things worked out.”

The win marks the fourth of Suter’s career and the first since 2009 when she won a downhill in Bansko, Bulgaria.

Just more than a week after earning her first career World Cup victory in the Lienz GS, Austrian Anna Fenninger led the home team in third, 0.74 seconds behind the leader. She has landed on the podium at all three super G races thus far this season with a second-place finish in Lake Louise and a third-place result in Beaver Creek.
  
It was a somewhat brief super G (2080 meters) down the technical Franz Klammer course that hadn’t seen the World Cup women since 2006.The sun shined through intermittent light snowfall at the top of the course throughout the race.

Like in yesterday’s downhill, ten U.S. woman filled the start sheet. They were once again led by Julia Mancuso (second in yesterday’s downhill) this time in eighth, 1.01 seconds off the leading pace.

“I gave the course too much respect and had a little mistake but in super G you always have to be on the limit,” said Mancuso. “It’s always good to be in the top ten. I feel like my skiing is better than that but at the same time from third place on was really close, just a couple of tenths and I was right in there.”

Tina MazeLaurenne Ross continued to make great strides in her comeback from a tough crash in a Lake Louise downhill in early December that inflicted several lacerations to her face. Ross recorded her second-best finish ever in 14th place. She was followed closely by teammate Leanne Smith in 15th.

“Today I came in with a little more confidence because I new I could make it down and I can still ski,” said Ross. “I came in and I tried to push the line. It’s been a really hard month but I’m really happy to be back and I’m thrilled with this weekend.” 

Lindsey Vonn, winner of the first two super G races of the season, was looking to redeem a costly mistake she made at the top of yesterday’s downhill that spoiled her perfect record in speed events this season (she finished fourth yesterday). She came out of the gate strong but slipped behind Maze’s leading time in the middle of the course and finished 18th. It was her lowest finish in a World Cup super G since 2006 and the first time she’s missed the podium since 2009. Vonn has been weakened over the last several days by a stomach illness she first contracted at a World Cup race in Zagreb, Croatia.

“I definitely struggled this weekend, but I’m not going to put too much weight in it,” said Vonn. “I want to try to win both races [in Cortina]. I want to feel confident again and get back on the right track.  For me it’s easy to overanalyze and say ‘why did this happen?’. I know it’s because I was sick and I’m just going to accept that and move forward and try to ski aggressively in Cortina.”

Vonn continues as the World Cup’s overall leader with 704 points. Austrian Marlies Schild stands second with 540 points ahead of Maze in third with 483.

None of the remaining U.S. racers reached the points as Stacey Cook finished 36th, Julia Ford landed 44th, Chelsea Marshall took 47th and Alice McKennis finished 48th. Kiley Staples and Brooke Wales did not finish.

The surprise of the day came from German 20-year-old Veronique Hronek who came all the way from the No. 38 bib to finish sixth for her best result ever. Her previous high was scored just yesterday in 17th. Her teammate and defending overall champion Maria Hoefl-Riesch didn’t race in either event this weekend as she fell ill after Thursday’s downhill training run. 

Yesterday’s winner, Austrian Elisabeth Goergl didn’t look as sharp today in ninth place.

The women will not have to wait long for another crack at a speed race. They will now travel to Cortina d Ampezzo, Italy for a downhill Jan. 14 and a super G Jan. 15.

Images by Gepa

The SCOOP
by Hank McKee

Women’s World Cup super G, Bad Kleinkirchheim, Austria, Jan. 8, 2012
Equipment

Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Suter, Stoeckli/Lange/Atomic
2 Maze, Stoeckli/Lange/Atomic
3 Fenninger, Head/Head/Head
4 Aufdenblatten, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
5 Gut, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
6 Hronek, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
7 Gisin, Dynastar/Lange/Marker
8 Mancuso, Voelkl/Lange/Marker
9 Goergl, Head/Head/Head
10 Hosp, Fischer/Fischer/Marker

Women’s World Cup super G, Bad Kleinkirchheim, Austria, Jan. 8, 2012
. … It is the 14th race of 40 on the women’s World Cup schedule with one cancellation (city event Munich). … It is the third of seven super G’s on the schedule. … It is the 21st Cup race hosted by Bad Kleinkirchheim. … The third super G. … US coach Chip White set the course.

It is the fourth career World Cup win for Fabienne Suter and her third in super G. … Her last win came Feb 29, 2009 in downhill at Bansko. … It is the fifth Swiss Cup win of the season all from different skiers. … It is the first of the season for a Swiss woman.

It is the 32nd career Cup podium result for Tina Maze. … her seventh in SG. … It is her fourth podium of the season, the other three all in slalom. … Those are the only podiums of the season for Slovenia.

It is the seventh career Cup podium result for Anna Fenninger. … her fifth in SG. … It is her fourth podium of the season and third in SG this season in three races.

It is the 23rd top eight in SG for Julia Mancuso. … her fifth top eight of the season. … and second in two days. … It is the second best career Cup result for Laurenne Ross, topped only by a fourth in SG at Tarviso at the end of last season. … Leanne Smith matches her eighth best career mark. … It is her fifth best career SG placing. … It is the first SG since 2009 that Lindsey Vonn has not finished on the podium.

Vonn maintains the lead of the World Cup overall standings 704-540 over Marlies Schild (did not race). … Maze is in third with 483pts. … Mancuso is seventh with 327pts and Marie-Michele Gagnon (did not race) is the top Canadian in 35th with 82pts. … Vonn holds the lead of the super G standings 213-200 over Fenninger. … Suter is third with 194pts and Mancuso fourth with 194. … Gagnon leads Canadians in the list in 38th with 5pts.

Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Total Time FIS Points
 1  21  515766 SUTER Fabienne  1985  SUI   1:09.55  0.00
 2  10  565243 MAZE Tina  1983  SLO   1:09.89  5.18
 3  18  55947 FENNINGER Anna  1989  AUT   1:10.29  11.28
 4  4  515573 AUFDENBLATTEN Fraenzi  1981  SUI   1:10.33  11.89
 5  19  516138 GUT Lara  1991  SUI   1:10.43  13.41
 6  38  206367 HRONEK Veronique  1991  GER   1:10.46  13.87
 7  22  515747 GISIN Dominique  1985  SUI   1:10.52  14.78
 8  17  537545 MANCUSO Julia  1984  USA   1:10.56  15.39
 9  20  55576 GOERGL Elisabeth  1981  AUT   1:10.70  17.53
 10  13  55690 HOSP Nicole  1983  AUT   1:10.76  18.44
 11  43  55818 KOEHLE Stefanie  1986  AUT   1:10.78  18.75
 12  23  296008 MERIGHETTI Daniela  1981  ITA   1:10.82  19.36
 13  29  297910 CURTONI Elena  1991  ITA   1:10.87  20.12
 14  24  538573 ROSS Laurenne  1988  USA   1:10.94  21.18
 15  6  538305 SMITH Leanne  1987  USA   1:10.96  21.49
 16  26  425880 SEJERSTED Lotte Smiseth  1991  NOR   1:10.99  21.95
 17  12  55750 FISCHBACHER Andrea  1985  AUT   1:11.04  22.71
 18  16  537544 VONN Lindsey  1984  USA   1:11.08  23.32
 19  15  505632 LINDELL-VIKARBY Jessica  1984  SWE   1:11.10  23.62
 20  2  196460 MARCHAND-ARVIER Marie  1985  FRA   1:11.15  24.39
 21  37  298084 AGERER Lisa Magdalena  1991  ITA   1:11.20  25.15
 22  30  495318 RUIZ CASTILLO Carolina  1981  SPA   1:11.22  25.45
 22  7  297702 MARSAGLIA Francesca  1990  ITA   1:11.22  25.45
 24  3  296431 STUFFER Verena  1984  ITA   1:11.25  25.91
 25  31  196928 WORLEY Tessa  1989  FRA   1:11.32  26.98
 26  32  55838 ZETTEL Kathrin  1986  AUT   1:11.35  27.43
 27  9  505483 PAERSON Anja  1981  SWE   1:11.38  27.89
 28  8  515560 SCHILD Martina  1981  SUI   1:11.42  28.50
 29  33  56059 DEPAULI Jessica  1991  AUT   1:11.60  31.24
 30  25  355050 WEIRATHER Tina  1989  LIE   1:11.62  31.55
 31  1  55766 MADER Regina  1985  AUT   1:11.70  32.77
 32  49  297601 BRIGNONE Federica  1990  ITA   1:11.73  33.23
 33  5  195983 ROLLAND Marion  1982  FRA   1:11.87  35.36
 34  44  197006 GAUTHIER Marine  1990  FRA   1:11.96  36.73
 35  41  196812 PELLISSIER Marion  1988  FRA   1:11.97  36.88
 36  42  537582 COOK Stacey  1984  USA   1:12.17  39.93
 37  27  55806 ALTACHER Margret  1986  AUT   1:12.20  40.39
 38  53  375018 COLETTI Alexandra  1983  MON   1:12.26  41.30
 39  35  196968 BAILET Margot  1990  FRA   1:12.37  42.98
 40  36  565360 STUHEC Ilka  1990  SLO   1:12.50  44.96
 41  51  565320 FERK Marusa  1988  SLO   1:12.63  46.94
 42  34  55913 MOSER Stefanie  1988  AUT   1:12.81  49.69
 43  40  297134 BORSOTTI Camilla  1988  ITA   1:12.98  52.28
 44  47  538855 FORD Julia  1990  USA   1:13.03  53.04
 45  54  425929 MOWINCKEL Ragnhild  1992  NOR   1:13.32  57.46
 46  56  155563 KRIZOVA Klara  1989  CZE   1:13.37  58.22
 47  57  538038 MARSHALL Chelsea  1986  USA   1:13.38  58.37
 48  48  538685 MCKENNIS Alice  1989  USA   1:13.41  58.83
 49  59  245066 MIKLOS Edit  1988  HUN   1:13.53  60.66
 50  45  55970 SCHMIDHOFER Nicole  1989  AUT   1:13.59  61.57
 51  46  197295 PIOT Jennifer  1992  FRA   1:13.66  62.64
 52  50  516145 KUENG Mirena  1988  SUI   1:13.75  64.01
 53  60  35089 SIMARI BIRKNER Macarena  1984  ARG   1:15.61  92.36
 54  58  35079 SIMARI BIRKNER Maria Belen  1982  ARG   1:15.66  93.12
Did not finish 1st run
   55  196726 BARTHET Anne-Sophie  1988  FRA     
   52  535585 STAPLES Kiley  1989  USA     
   39  538975 WALES Brooke  1990  USA     
   28  296472 FANCHINI Elena  1985  ITA     
   14  296427 SCHNARF Johanna  1984  ITA     
   11  205218 REBENSBURG Viktoria  1989  GER     

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About the Author: Eric Williams