Lienz: Italy's Costazza gets first win
Italian Chiara Costazza held her nerve against a charge of veteran forces at Lienz, Austria Saturday, Dec. 29, to claim the World Cup slalom and her first career victory. Defending Cup champion Nicole Hosp was second and the 2005 slalom champion Tanja Poutainen got third.
The win for Costazza gave Italy her fifth win of the season and second in two days and Denise Karbon took the GS here Friday.
Italian Chiara Costazza held her nerve against a charge of veteran forces at Lienz, Austria Saturday, Dec. 29, to claim the World Cup slalom and her first career victory. Defending Cup champion Nicole Hosp was second and the 2005 slalom champion Tanja Poutainen got third.
The win for Costazza gave Italy her fifth win of the season and second in two days as Denise Karbon took the GS here Friday. It was the first Italian win in 10 years in a women's World Cup slalom.
"What a couple of great days for Italian skiing to end the year with," said Costazza. "We work so well together in our team. There is always a great atmosphere and everyone pushes the other to do better. That has paid off now.
"I felt the pressure and was a bit nervous going into my second run but just tried to do my best and avoid mistakes," Costazza added. She achieved her goal, others didn't.
Hosp lost time halfway through her second leg as she briefly lost control and balanced on her right ski with her left leg up in the air.
"It's incredible to finish second after such an error," Hosp said. "After that, I just went down as fast as I possibly could. I am happy that it worked out fine."
Hosp was the only Austrian skier to land on the podium at the four recent World Cup races in Austria – last week in St. Anton am Arlberg and this week in Lienz.
"There was much pressure on us to do well in these home races, so one single podium finish is obviously a disappointing result," said Hosp, the defending overall World Cup champion. "However, it's great to end the year on top of the rankings but I can't take anything for granted yet."
Poutiainen said she surprised herself with a second slalom podium finish this season.
"That's a bit weird as the giant slalom suits me best," Poutiainen said. "But we worked a lot on the slalom over the summer so all the hard work in training now leads to good results in the races."
Several favorites did not qualify for the second run – Julia Mancuso was 31st and slalom world champion Sarka Zahrobska 37th.
Marlies Schild, who won two of three previous slalom races this season, had a very fast start to the first leg but went out after losing control of a ski while turning in a sharp curve.
Anja Paerson had a few errors in the upper part of the course and quit the race in disappointment shortly before the finish line. Kathrin Zettel also went out after sliding off-course halfway her run.
With Resi Stiegler having been injured in the GS race Friday, the U.S. forces were struggling to find a piece of normalcy. Coach Chris Knight said, "It was definitely different without Resi in there. Just three girls – that's not what we're used to, but that's what it was today and they gave it a good effort.
"Lindsey has struggled in her last two slaloms, so she wanted to make sure she finished that second run and got some points. And I thought Jules is skiing the best slalom I've seen, but she made a big mistake in the middle of the first run and got thrown off the course, then made it back in, was pushing across the flat…and still just missed the second run by seven-hundredths."
The women's World Cup circuit continues with a giant slalom and a slalom in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic, on Jan. 5-6, 2008. – AP and USSA contributed to this story.
The SCOOP
By Hank McKee
Equipment
Women's Slalom, Lienz, Austria, Dec. 29, 2007
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Costazza, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
2 Hosp, Volkl/Fischer/Marker
3 Poutiainen, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker
4 Riesch, Head/Lange/Tyrolia
5 Jelusic, Atomic/Salomon/Atomic
6 Aubert, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
7 Kirchgasser, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
8 Dautherives, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
9 Triendl, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
10 Zuzulova, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
Women's Slalom, Lienz, Austria, Dec. 29, 2007. … It is the 14th race of the women's 39 event 2007-08 World Cup schedule. … The fourth of ten scheduled slaloms. … It is the 17th Cup race held at Lienz. … the tenth slalom.
It is the first World Cup win of Chiara Costazza's career. … Her only other podium came in slalom earlier this season at Reiteralm Nov. 10. … She has just 15 Cup scoring results all in slalom and 11 of them are top 10 finishes. … It is the fifth win of the season for Italy and second of the weekend with Denise Karbon also winning at Lienz in GS. … Italy had two wins all of last season. … It is the first slalom win by an Italian woman since Lara Magoni won at Vail March 16, 1997.
It is the 39th career World Cup podium for Nicole Hosp. … Her 15th in slalom. … It is her third podium of the season, all of them coming in slalom. … She won once at Lienz, in GS Dec. 27, 2003 and since then has finished second four times.
It is the 25th career World Cup podium for Tanja Poutiainen. … Her 14th in slalom. … It is her second podium of the season having been second in slalom at Aspen Dec. 9. … It is her first podium result from Lienz having not placed better than fifth previously.
It is the tenth scoring result of the season for Lindsey Vonn and her best in three slalom results. … It is the first career scoring result for Anna Goodman.
Winning margin is .68 of a second. … Top three are within the same second. … Top eight within two seconds. … Nicole Hosp takes over the lead in the World Cup overall standings 514-480 over Lindsey Vonn. … Maria Riesch moves into third at 450 and Julia Mancuso drops to fourth at 444. … Hosp also controls the slalom standings 305-222 for Tanja Poutiainen with Marlies Schild (first run DNF) in third at 200. … Costazza moves to fourth at 196. … Top North American in slalom standings is Resi Stiegler in 10th with 111pts.
The Austrian women lead the Nations Cup standings with 2413pts, but the Italians are second with 1197 and the U.S. close behind at 1191.
| Rank | Bib | FIS Code | Name | Year | Nation | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total Time | FIS Points |
| 1 | 14 | 296354 | COSTAZZA Chiara | 1984 | ITA | 57.96 | 57.01 | 1:54.97 | 0.00 |
| 2 | 6 | 55690 | HOSP Nicole | 1983 | AUT | 58.37 | 57.28 | 1:55.65 | 3.61 |
| 3 | 5 | 185140 | POUTIAINEN Tanja | 1980 | FIN | 58.46 | 57.37 | 1:55.83 | 4.56 |
| 4 | 16 | 206001 | RIESCH Maria | 1984 | GER | 59.11 | 57.07 | 1:56.18 | 6.42 |
| 5 | 4 | 385032 | JELUSIC Ana | 1986 | CRO | 58.71 | 57.63 | 1:56.34 | 7.27 |
| 6 | 25 | 195972 | AUBERT Sandrine | 1982 | FRA | 58.35 | 58.02 | 1:56.37 | 7.43 |
| 7 | 8 | 55759 | KIRCHGASSER Michaela | 1985 | AUT | 58.87 | 57.97 | 1:56.84 | 9.92 |
| 8 | 38 | 196016 | DAUTHERIVES Claire | 1982 | FRA | 59.37 | 57.54 | 1:56.91 | 10.29 |
| 9 | 39 | 55888 | TRIENDL Katrin | 1987 | AUT | 58.84 | 58.31 | 1:57.15 | 11.57 |
| 10 | 2 | 705287 | ZUZULOVA Veronika | 1984 | SVK | 59.50 | 57.91 | 1:57.41 | 12.95 |
| 11 | 31 | 295445 | KARBON Denise | 1980 | ITA | 59.86 | 57.58 | 1:57.44 | 13.11 |
| 11 | 3 | 505610 | BORSSEN Therese | 1984 | SWE | 58.67 | 58.77 | 1:57.44 | 13.11 |
| 13 | 29 | 515639 | CAMASTRAL Aita | 1983 | SUI | 1:00.18 | 57.27 | 1:57.45 | 13.16 |
| 14 | 11 | 425771 | LOESETH Nina | 1989 | NOR | 1:00.04 | 57.43 | 1:57.47 | 13.26 |
| 15 | 41 | 565320 | FERK Marusa | 1988 | SLO | 59.35 | 58.61 | 1:57.96 | 15.86 |
| 16 | 12 | 505760 | PIETILAE-HOLMNER Maria | 1986 | SWE | 1:00.48 | 57.49 | 1:57.97 | 15.92 |
| 17 | 35 | 515733 | BONJOUR Aline | 1985 | SUI | 59.79 | 58.24 | 1:58.03 | 16.24 |
| 18 | 34 | 516005 | HANGL Celina | 1989 | SUI | 59.89 | 58.31 | 1:58.20 | 17.14 |
| 19 | 20 | 296259 | MOELGG Manuela | 1983 | ITA | 1:00.24 | 58.16 | 1:58.40 | 18.20 |
| 20 | 30 | 515619 | GINI Sandra | 1982 | SUI | 59.28 | 59.27 | 1:58.55 | 18.99 |
| 21 | 57 | 515692 | GRAND Rabea | 1984 | SUI | 59.62 | 58.94 | 1:58.56 | 19.05 |
| 22 | 49 | 355040 | NIGG Marina | 1984 | LIE | 1:00.46 | 58.12 | 1:58.58 | 19.15 |
| 23 | 60 | 155194 | KURFUERSTOVA Eva | 1977 | CZE | 1:00.24 | 58.35 | 1:58.59 | 19.21 |
| 24 | 19 | 295435 | GIUS Nicole | 1980 | ITA | 1:00.03 | 58.57 | 1:58.60 | 19.26 |
| 25 | 18 | 537544 | VONN Lindsey | 1984 | USA | 1:00.14 | 58.49 | 1:58.63 | 19.42 |
| 26 | 36 | 205168 | DUERR Katharina | 1989 | GER | 1:00.76 | 58.37 | 1:59.13 | 22.07 |
| 27 | 51 | 565268 | DREV Ana | 1985 | SLO | 1:00.53 | 58.94 | 1:59.47 | 23.88 |
| 28 | 58 | 515841 | BERTHOD Pascale | 1987 | SUI | 1:00.42 | 59.10 | 1:59.52 | 24.14 |
| 29 | 56 | 106633 | GOODMAN Anna | 1986 | CAN | 1:00.82 | 59.99 | 2:00.81 | 30.99 |
 |
Did not finish 1st run : PERSYN Karen (BEL), SMUTNA Michaela (CZE), GASIENICA DANIEL Agnieszka (POL), LOLOVIC Jelena (SRB), LOESETH Lene (NOR), FERNSEBNER Carolin (GER), FENNINGER Anna (AUT), CURTONI Irene (ITA), RIESCH Susanne (GER), FISCHBACHER Andrea (AUT), HOELZL Kathrin (GER), FLEISS Nika (CRO), BERGMANN Monika (GER), PAERSON Anja (SWE), DE LEYMARIE Florine (FRA), ZETTEL Kathrin (AUT), SCHILD Marlies (AUT)
Disqualified 1st run : STRENG Simone (AUT), CERESA Annalisa (ITA)
Disqualified 2nd run : PERNER Nina (GER)
Did not qualify 1st run : HULTDIN Kristina (SWE), ROSS Lauren (USA), NOVOSELIC Sofija (CRO), BERTRAND Marion (FRA), CANDIAGO Giulia (ITA), HONKONEN Jessica (FIN), NOENS Nastasia (FRA), JAZBEC Katja (SLO), BRODNIK Vanja (SLO), SMED Veronica (SWE), SPRINGL Monika (GER), MUELLER Anne Marie (NOR), GOERGL Elisabeth (AUT), CHMELAR Fanny (GER), LEINONEN Sanni (FIN), KARASINSKA Katarzyna (POL), HANSDOTTER Frida (SWE), MANCUSO Julia (USA), ZAHROBSKA Sarka (CZE)
About the Author: Pete Rugh
