Vonn 22nd in Lake Louise training

By Published On: December 4th, 2013Comments Off on Vonn 22nd in Lake Louise training

SKI ALPIN - FIS WC Lake Louise, Abfahrt, TrainingFor the first time since her season-ending crash in February, Lindsey Vonn kicked out of a World Cup start house Wednesday. With 14 total wins — seven in a row — at Lake Louise, it’s a track the four-time overall champ knows well.

“I’m really happy to be back here in Lake Louise. It was my first run, so I was of course a little bit nervous,” said Vonn. “First training run, first real race situation since February, so it’s been a long time.”

Vonn, who re-injured her knee last month in a training crash at Copper Mountain and was forced to miss the speed opener on the much more demanding Beaver Creek slope, finished the first of two scheduled training runs in 22nd. In recent years at Lake Louise, Vonn’s training results have not always reflected her dominance on race day. Last season, she finished first, ninth (standing up toward the end of the run) and did not start Day 3. In 2011, she finished first, third and second.

However, 22nd is certainly another matter, and she refused to say how hard she skied in the training run: “I can’t really put a percentage on it, just happy to be back.”

Vonn partially tore her right ACL in the November crash and this week said she will forgo surgery, which would effectively end her season, for as long as possible in hopes of defending her title in Sochi. Swelling and whether or not the knee remains stable will determine if she races this weekend.

“The knee feels good. It feels stable,” said Vonn. “(I’m) just going to play it by ear tomorrow and make a decision on the race.”

Vonn also said the confidence factor on the Lake Louise track is what pushed her to attempt the comeback this weekend.

Meanwhile, Stacey Cook, who earned her first two World Cup podiums at Lake Louise last year, had the best American training result in sixth. Julia Mancuso, who has not been skiing her best, also had a positive result in ninth. Leanne Smith, who is looking to bounce back after a disappointing weekend in Beaver Creek, finished 28th. Laurenne Ross was 47th, followed by Julia Ford in 59th.

Asked how the run felt, Cook said, “It felt cold. (The) course is in really nice shape, and it felt good to go so fast and get in the tuck a bit more than in Beaver Creek. I’m excited for this week.”

Carolina Ruiz Castillo clocked the fastest time of 1 minute, 57.40 seconds. Germany’s Maria Hoefl-Riesch wasn’t far behind and Tina Maze, last season’s overall champ, is again showing signs she might be getting things back on track with a third-place result.

Results — Downhill Training, Lake Louise 

Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Total Time FIS Points
 1  19  495318 RUIZ CASTILLO Carolina 1981 SPA  1:57.40
 2  14  206001 HOEFL-RIESCH Maria 1984 GER  1:57.51
 3  16  565243 MAZE Tina 1983 SLO  1:58.06
 4  18  296472 FANCHINI Elena 1985 ITA  1:58.12
 5  17  516138 GUT Lara 1991 SUI  1:58.28
 6  9  537582 COOK Stacey 1984 USA  1:58.58
 7  26  55750 FISCHBACHER Andrea 1985 AUT  1:58.62
 8  2  55576 GOERGL Elisabeth 1981 AUT  1:58.88
 9  12  537545 MANCUSO Julia 1984 USA  1:58.92
 10  8  55947 FENNINGER Anna 1989 AUT  1:58.93
 11  30  565360 STUHEC Ilka 1990 SLO  1:58.95
 12  32  298323 GOGGIA Sofia 1992 ITA  1:59.06
 13  24  515573 AUFDENBLATTEN Fraenzi 1981 SUI  1:59.10
 14  23  55913 MOSER Stefanie 1988 AUT  1:59.30
 15  46  55970 SCHMIDHOFER Nicole 1989 AUT  1:59.32
 15  22  425880 SEJERSTED Lotte Smiseth 1991 NOR  1:59.32
 17  41  297702 MARSAGLIA Francesca 1990 ITA  1:59.37
 18  20  515747 GISIN Dominique 1985 SUI  1:59.38
 19  11  355050 WEIRATHER Tina 1989 LIE  1:59.41
 20  7  196460 MARCHAND-ARVIER Marie 1985 FRA  1:59.42
 21  29  296431 STUFFER Verena 1984 ITA  1:59.44
 22  10  537544 VONN Lindsey 1984 USA  1:59.53
 23  4  296729 FANCHINI Nadia 1986 ITA  1:59.61
 24  43  197295 PIOT Jennifer 1992 FRA  1:59.65
 25  55  106849 YURKIW Larisa 1988 CAN  1:59.76
 26  60  505886 KLING Kajsa 1988 SWE  1:59.78
 27  15  296008 MERIGHETTI Daniela 1981 ITA  1:59.83
 28  6  538305 SMITH Leanne 1987 USA  1:59.87
 29  25  206175 STECHERT Gina 1987 GER  2:00.01
 30  5  55766 STERZ Regina 1985 AUT  2:00.10
 31  44  297134 BORSOTTI Camilla 1988 ITA  2:00.27
 32  57  539536 WILES Jacqueline 1992 USA  2:00.28
 33  37  56088 TIPPLER Tamara 1991 AUT  2:00.29
 34  31  55690 HOSP Nicole 1983 AUT  2:00.35
 35  1  515782 KAUFMANN-ABDERHALDEN Marianne 1986 SUI  2:00.39
 36  13  515806 JNGLIN-KAMER Nadja 1986 SUI  2:00.50
 37  53  56087 SIEBENHOFER Ramona 1991 AUT  2:00.55
 38  59  197006 GAUTHIER Marine 1990 FRA  2:00.58
 39  52  245066 MIKLOS Edit 1988 HUN  2:00.60
 40  54  206367 HRONEK Veronique 1991 GER  2:00.61
 41  36  56128 HUETTER Cornelia 1992 AUT  2:00.62
 42  40  155563 KRIZOVA Klara 1989 CZE  2:00.72
 43  28  296427 SCHNARF Johanna 1984 ITA  2:00.75
 44  27  515766 SUTER Fabienne 1985 SUI  2:00.89
 45  45  565320 FERK Marusa 1988 SLO  2:00.91
 46  35  56125 PUCHNER Mirjam 1992 AUT  2:00.93
 47  3  538573 ROSS Laurenne 1988 USA  2:01.07
 48  65  375018 COLETTI Alexandra 1983 MON  2:01.35
 48  58  55818 KOEHLE Stefanie 1986 AUT  2:01.35
 50  66  505632 LINDELL-VIKARBY Jessica 1984 SWE  2:01.38
 51  33  515849 DETTLING Andrea 1987 SUI  2:01.42
 52  39  516219 NUFER Priska 1992 SUI  2:01.63
 53  48  206460 WENIG Michaela 1992 GER  2:01.86
 54  38  565333 BRODNIK Vanja 1989 SLO  2:01.91
 55  63  155415 STRACHOVA Sarka 1985 CZE  2:02.03
 56  62  425929 MOWINCKEL Ragnhild 1992 NOR  2:02.27
 57  50  298084 AGERER Lisa Magdalena 1991 ITA  2:02.33
 58  34  516185 HAEHLEN Joana 1992 SUI  2:02.61
 59  61  538855 FORD Julia 1990 USA  2:02.62
 60  47  539685 RYAN Katie 1993 USA  2:02.65
 61  64  485632 BEDAREVA Maria 1992 RUS  2:02.73
 62  51  197497 MIRADOLI Romane 1994 FRA  2:02.81
 63  42  56177 VENIER Stephanie 1993 AUT  2:03.56
 64  56  196968 BAILET Margot 1990 FRA  2:03.85
 65  67  435245 CHRAPEK Karolina 1990 POL  2:04.88

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About the Author: Geoff Mintz

Geoff Mintz is a former alpine ski racer who cut his teeth at Ragged Mountain and Waterville Valley, N.H. After graduating from Holderness and UVM, he relocated to Colorado, where he worked on the hill prior to pursuing a career in journalism. Mintz served as associate editor for Ski Racing Media from 2011 to 2015. He later reconnected with his local roots to manage all marketing and communications for Ski & Snowboard Club Vail before resuming work at SRM as editor-in-chief.