Hilde Gerg of Germany wins second downhill in Lake Louise

Hilde Gerg of Germany wins second downhill in Lake Louise{mosimage}Hilde Gerg of Germany won the second women’s World Cup downhill of the season Saturday, battling through heavy snow and fog to win in 1 minute, 36.01 seconds. Lindsey Kildow, who won her first World Cup the day before, finished fifth.

Renate Goetschl of Austria was second in 1:36.16. Carole Montillet-Carles of France was third in 1:36.20. A Super G is scheduled for Sunday at Lake Louise.
-Staff and wire reports

World Cup
Women’s Downhill
Lake Louise, Alberta
Dec. 4, 2004
1. Hilde Gerg, GER 1:36.01
2. Renate Goetschl, AUT 1:36.16
3. Carole Montillet-Carles, FRA 1:36.20
4. Brigitte Obermoser, AUT 1:36.25
5. Lindsey Kildow, USA 1:36.27
6. Isolde Kostner, ITA 1:36.76
7. Petra Haltmayr, GER 1:36.93
8. Michaela Dorfmeister, AUT 1:37.02
9. Caroline Lalive, USA 1:37.06
10. Janica Kostelic, CRO 1:37.15
11. Katja Wirth, AUT 1:37.34
12. Sylvaine Berthod, SUI 1:37.35
13. Bryna McCarty, USA 1:37.37
14. Janette Hargin, SWE 1:37.41
15. Ingrid Jacquemod, FRA 1:37.45
16. Melanie Turgeon, CAN 1:37.50
17. Anja Paerson, SWE 1:37.66
18. Emily Brydon, CAN 1:37.74
19. Kelly Vanderbeek, CAN 1:37.92
20. Kirsten Clark, USA 1:38.06
21. Daniella Ceccarelli, ITA 1:38.11
22. Jessica Lindell-Vikarby, SWE 1:38.14
22. Barbara Kleon, ITA 1:38.14
24. Anne Marie LeFrancois, CAN 1:38.17
25. Monika Dumermuth, SUI 1:38.21
26. Catherine Borghi, SUI 1:38.23
27. Selina Heregger, AUT 1:38.29
28. Elisabeth Goergl, AUT 1:38.35
29. Jonna Mendes, USA 1:38.39
29. Chimene Alcott, GBR 1:38.39
other North Americans:
31. Stacey Cook, USA 1:38.47
32. Julia Mancuso, USA 1:38.48
36. Genevieve Simard, CAN 1:38.72
50. Christina Risler, CAN 1:39.42
55. Kaylin Richardson, USA 1:40.95
DNS: Libby Ludlow, USA.

THE SCOOP

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

Women’s Downhill, Lake Louise, Alberta, Dec. 4, 2004. … It is the sixth race of a 32 race (plus one combined) women’s World Cup schedule. … It is the second of eight scheduled downhills. … Top seven skiers are with a second. … Top five are within .26 of a second. … Top three finishers started 29th-30th and 28th respectively.

It is the 19th career win for Hilde Gerg. … Her seventh in DH. … Her second in DH at Lake Louise. … Gerg sustained an anterior cruciate tear of her left knee at Lake Louise in DH 12/7/02, a day after winning. … Her most recent win came at Cortina d’Ampezzo DH 1/17/04. … It is her second scoring result of the season, and her second podium of the season. … She was third at Lake Louise 12/3.

It is the 81st career podium for Renate Goetschl. … her 42nd in DH. … It is her first podium of the season. … She has won the World Cup DH title three times: ’97, ’99 and ’04. … Her first DH podium was at St Anton 12/18/93. … In 24 scoring races at Lake Louise, Goetschl has posted nine podiums.

It is the 24th career podium for Carole Montillet-Carles and second of the season. … She was second 12/3/2004. … In 24 scoring finishes at Lake Louise, Montillet-Carles has earned 10 podium results.

It is the fourth top five result for Lindsey Kildow. … She won the 12/3 race. … It is the 26th career top 10 for Caroline Lalive. … and her second consecutive ninth place finish. … In nine scoring races at Lake Louise she has been top 10 five times. … Bryna McCarty matches her third best career placing in 13th. … She has only been better in two consecutive DH races at Haus im Ennstal 1/30-31/04 (5th and 9th). … Melanie Turgeon got her first point of the season in 12/3 race in 30th and moved up to 16th 12/4. … Emily Brydon got her first points of the season in 18th after failing to finish the 12/3 race. … Kelly Vanderbeek scored for the fourth time in her career. … It was her first scoring result on Canadian snow. … Kirsten Clark was 20th for the second consecutive day. … It was her third result of the season. … It was the 74th career scoring result for Jonna Mendes. … Her 19th at Lake Louise. …Stacey Cook and Julia Mancuso were less than a tenth of a second from scoring points.

Tanja Poutiainen (did not race) maintains the overall World Cup lead with 340 pts. … Second ranked Anja Paerson (17th in race) adds her total to 289. … Janica Kostelic (10th in race) is third with 238pts. Gerg displaces top American Kristina Koznick and holds fourth with 160 over Koznick’s 157. … Kildow with 145pts is seventh. … Gerg takes the lead in the DH standings 160-145 for Kildow. … Montillet-Carles is third with 140pts. … Austria leads the women’s Nations Cup 758-562 for USA. … Sweden stands third at 460.