Whistler: Riesch leads combined at mid-point

Maria Riesch put down a blazing super G run and grabbed the early lead in the super combined World Cup at Whistler Sunday. Julia Mancuso holds second after the super G leg with a run of slalom still left to race. Canadian Emily Brydon holds third.
    Riesch could make a big impact on the World Cup overall standings with a win today. She is currently third overall. Leader Lindsey Vonn concluded the first leg in a tie for tenth leaving 1.13 seconds to make up in slalom and runner-up Nicole Hosp is fourth 0.78 behind.
   

Maria Riesch put down a blazing super G run and grabbed the early lead in the super combined World Cup at Whistler Sunday. Julia Mancuso holds second after the super G leg with a run of slalom still left to race. Canadian Emily Brydon holds third.
    Riesch could make a big impact on the World Cup overall standings with a win today. She is currently third overall. Leader Lindsey Vonn concluded the first leg in a tie for tenth leaving 1.13 seconds to make up in slalom and runner-up Nicole Hosp is fourth .78 behind. Riesch can ski some slalom having posted a slalom podium earlier this season at Spindlerluv Mlyn in the Czech Republic. With eight races remaining there is time for her to make up the difference on the two tour leaders. Vonn leads with 1063pts, Hosp is 64 behind that at 999 and Riesch, at 891, is within range.
    All told six North Americans are in position to score. They are Mancuso in second, Brydon third, Britt Janyk in seventh, Vonn 10th, Kelly VanderBeek in 26th and Leanne Smith 29th all had the opportinuty to run the slalom. Janyk and VanderBeek declined the slalom start.