Worley impeccable in World Championships GS win, Shiffrin 6th

By Published On: February 14th, 2013Comments Off on Worley impeccable in World Championships GS win, Shiffrin 6th

On a steep, icy course that tested the best GS skiers in the world, France’s Tessa Worley skied two outstanding runs to take the 2013 World Championships in Schladming Thursday.

Worley was first out a the gate in the morning run, which saw a clear advantage for the early racers, as the course quickly became sliced up and chattery. The afternoon was warmer, sunnier, slightly less icy and a more rhythmic set.

“I was pretty happy with the conditions,” said Worley. “Waking up this morning, I knew it was going to be a good race. It was going to be good for me. I just wanted to ski fast, not to push too much and you can very quickly do big mistakes on this kind of slope.”

Worley, who was then last to kick out in her second run down the Planai course, was able match the intensity of Tina Maze, who currently leads the World Cup giant slalom standings. The Slovenian was disappointed with her first-run performance — she finished fourth — and brought a little more aggressiveness to her second effort. After destroying the final 15 gates of the race, it looked as though Maze might be able to hang on for the win, fending off the Austrians Anna Fenninger and Kathrin Zettel. But Worley was able to fight through a couple small mistakes to secure a decisive 1.12-second margin of victory.

Anna Fenninger, who was reportedly struggling with the host-nation pressure and actually left town for a couple days to get away from the scene, was ultimately knocked back to third. Zettel, second after the first run, gradually lost time on then-leader Maze throughout her second effort to slip off the podium in disappointing fashion.

For American Mikaela Shiffrin, it was an all-around outstanding day on the hill. Unaided by a favorable first-run start position, the 17-year-old competing in her first World Championships may have skied a bit too passively on the top part of the second run, but she was able to make up time on the steep lower half.

“I had really good training and a lot of confidence going into the race,” said Shiffrin. “In the end, it was just me and my skis and red and blue gates. … I always want more, so that’s not anything completely new. I felt like I skied really well on the bottom and just kind of solid up top, like I could have been faster. There were things I could have done better. “

Julia Mancuso also made the start for the American team. “It’s not my day,” she said in the finish coral. She was clean, but not quick enough to crack into the top 20.

“[The conditions] were pretty good actually in some places,” said Mancuso. “It’s really grippy. … Definitely not slick. It’s super compact. I’d say hardest and most perfect slopes we’ve had this year and that makes the steepness a little easier to tolerate.

“GS was disappointing, but it’s hard to get a complete confident feeling when you’re skiing all events and I’ve struggled a lot with my equipment, getting it perfect and changing technicians. For me in GS, I need to have more confidence.”

Story by Geoff Mintz
Photos by GEPA

The SCOOP
by Hank McKee

Women’s World Championship Giant Slalom, Schladming, Austria, Feb. 14, 2013.
Equipment

Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Worley, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
2 Maze, Stoeckli/Lange/Atomic
3 Fenninger, Head/Head/Head
4 Zettel, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
5 Hansdotter, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
6 Shiffrin, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
7 Gut, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
8 Gagnon, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
9 Hoefl-Riesch, Head/Lange/Head
10 Drev, Voelkl/Lange/Marker


Women’s World Championship Giant Slalom, Schladming, Austria, Feb. 14, 2013
. … It is the seventh of 11 events (including the team event) scheduled for this event. … the first of the women’s technical races. … It is the 47th championship GS. … The 23rd for women. … Tina Maze is the defending champion.

It is the second career World Championship medal for Tessa Worley who also won bronze in GS at Garmisch (2011). … It is the fourth medal of the championships for France and the first in GS since Carol Merle at Morioka-Shizukuishi in 1993. … It is the fourth podium result for Worley this season.

It is the sixth career World Championship medal for Tina Maze and her third of these championships having previously won the super G and silver medal in combined. … She also owns two Olympic silver medals. … It is her 20th podium result of the season.

It is the second career World Championship medal for Anna Fenninger. … She previously won gold in combined at Garmisch. … It is her seventh podium result of the season and fourth third place finish.

It is the first career World Championship placing for Mikaela Shiffrin. … her seventh top six of the season. … It is a career best World Championship result for Marie-Michele Gagnon and matches her second best result of the season. … It is the sixth best GS finish for a Canadian woman in a World Championship event. … It is the 19th career World Championship result for Julia Mancuso. … It is the fourth career World Championship result for Marie-Pier Prefontaine and matches her finish from the super G earlier in the week.

Medal Count
FRA – 4 – (gold, gold, silver, bronze)
AUT – 4 – (gold, bronze, bronze, bronze)
USA – 3 – (gold, gold, bronze)
SLO – 3 – (gold, silver, silver)
GER – 3 – (gold, bronze, bronze)
NOR – 2 – (gold, bronze)
ITA – 2 – (silver, silver)
CRO – 1 – (silver)
SWE – 1 – (silver)

Results
Schladming (AUT)
FIS World Ski Championships
Ladies’ Giant Slalom

Rank    Name Year Nation Run 1 Run 2 Total Time
 1 WORLEY Tessa  1989  FRA   1:04.90  1:03.16  2:08.06
 2 MAZE Tina  1983  SLO   1:05.99  1:03.19  2:09.18
 3 FENNINGER Anna  1989  AUT   1:05.75  1:03.49  2:09.24
 4 ZETTEL Kathrin  1986  AUT   1:05.42  1:04.18  2:09.60
 5 HANSDOTTER Frida  1985  SWE   1:06.55  1:03.79  2:10.34
 6 SHIFFRIN Mikaela  1995  USA   1:06.55  1:03.81  2:10.36
 7 GUT Lara  1991  SUI   1:06.93  1:03.51  2:10.44
 8 GAGNON Marie-Michele  1989  CAN   1:06.78  1:03.91  2:10.69
 9 HOEFL-RIESCH Maria  1984  GER   1:07.34  1:03.74  2:11.08
 10 DREV Ana  1985  SLO   1:07.28  1:03.93  2:11.21
 11 MOELGG Manuela  1983  ITA   1:07.47  1:03.92  2:11.39
 11 REBENSBURG Viktoria  1989  GER   1:06.97  1:04.42  2:11.39
 13 LINDELL-VIKARBY Jessica  1984  SWE   1:06.81  1:04.96  2:11.77
 14 CURTONI Irene  1985  ITA   1:07.00  1:04.85  2:11.85
 15 POUTIAINEN Tanja  1980  FIN   1:07.45  1:04.65  2:12.10
 16 BERTRAND Marion  1984  FRA   1:08.04  1:04.10  2:12.14
 17 HRONEK Veronique  1991  GER   1:08.14  1:04.04  2:12.18
 18 PIETILAE-HOLMNER Maria  1986  SWE   1:08.67  1:03.65  2:12.32
 19 HASEGAWA Emi  1986  JPN   1:08.33  1:04.04  2:12.37
 20 BARTHET Anne-Sophie  1988  FRA   1:08.65  1:03.74  2:12.39
 21 MOWINCKEL Ragnhild  1992  NOR   1:08.10  1:04.64  2:12.74
 22 MANCUSO Julia  1984  USA   1:07.79  1:05.01  2:12.80
 23 GOERGL Elisabeth  1981  AUT   1:08.10  1:05.15  2:13.25
 24 ASTAPENKO Daria  1994  RUS   1:09.19  1:04.18  2:13.37
 25 LOESETH Mona  1991  NOR   1:09.02  1:04.41  2:13.43
 26 HOLDENER Wendy  1993  SUI   1:08.65  1:04.98  2:13.63
 27 WEIRATHER Tina  1989  LIE   1:08.36  1:05.29  2:13.65
 28 PREFONTAINE Marie-Pier  1988  CAN   1:08.18  1:05.59  2:13.77
 29 GASIENICA DANIEL Agnieszka  1987  POL   1:09.34  1:05.47  2:14.81
 30 SEJERSTED Lotte Smiseth  1991  NOR   1:09.66  1:05.44  2:15.10
 31 HOSHI Mizue  1985  JPN   1:09.29  1:06.09  2:15.38
 32 STUHEC Ilka  1990  SLO   1:09.38  1:06.61  2:15.99
 33 KANTOROVA Barbara  1992  SVK   1:10.29  1:05.97  2:16.26
 34 GASIENICA DANIEL Maryna  1994  POL   1:10.47  1:05.82  2:16.29
 35 LOESETH Nina  1989  NOR   1:08.81  1:07.51  2:16.32
 36 HORVAT Katja  1993  SLO   1:10.33  1:06.59  2:16.92
 37 ZAHROBSKA Sarka  1985  CZE   1:09.90  1:07.52  2:17.42
 38 HALME Nina  1990  FIN   1:10.66  1:06.93  2:17.59
 39 DUBOVSKA Martina  1992  CZE   1:10.75  1:07.15  2:17.90
 40 JELINKOVA Adriana  1995  NED   1:11.15  1:07.55  2:18.70
 41 IGNJATOVIC Nevena  1990  SRB   1:10.74  1:08.31  2:19.05
 42 ROMANOVA Anastasia  1993  RUS   1:11.69  1:08.05  2:19.74
 43 SIMARI BIRKNER Maria Belen  1982  ARG   1:11.85  1:08.33  2:20.18
 44 NOVAKOVIC Zana  1985  BIH   1:10.18  1:10.87  2:21.05
 45 SMALL Greta  1995  AUS   1:12.19  1:08.94  2:21.13
 46 MATSOTSKA Bogdana  1989  UKR   1:13.70  1:10.08  2:23.78
 47 TRSINSKI Sasa  1996  CRO   1:13.67  1:10.98  2:24.65
 48 BERECZ Anna  1988  HUN   1:14.07  1:11.37  2:25.44
 49 BANCORA Salome  1993  ARG   1:14.41  1:11.35  2:25.76
 50 SOLA Matilda  1994  CRO   1:14.42  1:11.92  2:26.34
 51 GASUNA Lelde  1990  LAT   1:14.47  1:11.92  2:26.39
Disqualified 2nd run
  HUDSON Piera  1996  NZL       
Disqualified 1st run
  MURADYAN Tatevik  1992  ARM       
  HUANG Pei-Chen  1995  TPE       
  OETTL REYES Ornella  1991  PER       
  KIEK Ronnie  1993  ISR       
  SIMARI BIRKNER Macarena  1984  ARG       
  ROBNIK Tina  1991  SLO       
  KIRCHGASSER Michaela  1985  AUT       
Did not start 2nd run
  SUTER Fabienne  1985  SUI       
  RUIZ CASTILLO Carolina  1981  SPA       
  DUERR Lena  1991  GER       
  KARBON Denise  1980  ITA       
Did not start 1st run
  CHIARUZZI Eleonora  1993  RSM       
  LI Yang  1989  CHN       
Did not qualify for 2nd run
  THAKUR Aanchal  1996  IND       
  DEVI Varsha  1995  IND       
  PHOTIADES Mary  1995  CYP       
  BAUER Laura  1993  RSA       
  CHAMOUN Jacky  1991  LIB       
  CSIMA Reka  1993  HUN       
  PALIUTKINA Olga  1993  KGZ       
  TAYLOR Alexandra  1994  CYP       
  KEIROUZ Celine  1995  LIB       
  KALHOR Mitra  1985  IRA       
  RALLI Sophia  1988  GRE       
  KALHOR Ziba  1991  IRA       
  KIADARBANDSARI Fatemeh  1982  IRA       
  KALHOR Marjan  1988  IRA       
  BERECZ Reka  1995  HUN       
  MOHBAT Natacha  1996  LIB       
  MARAGKOU Areti  1993  GRE       
  SELVA Federica  1996  RSM       
  JANUSKEVICIUTE Ieva  1994  LTU       
  MAVRIDOU Paraskevi  1990  GRE       
  HIRSHFELD Yom  1991  ISR       
  BUCHLER Gitit  1993  ISR       
  GASPAR Veronica  1995  ISV       
  KOKKINI Anastasia  1992  GRE       
  KUSMUK Kristina  1994  BIH       
  BONDARE Liene  1996  LAT       
  PELLEGRIN Elise  1991  MLT       
  HADZIC Sumejja  1994  BIH       
  KRONE Kristina  1990  PUR       
  TYMCHENKO Roksana  1991  UKR       
  ABOLTINA Agnese  1996  LAT       
  GORBUNOVA Anastasiia  1995  UKR       
  EINARSDOTTIR Freydis-Halla  1994  ISL       
  HALILOVIC Amira  1993  BIH       
  KRUMINA Katrina  1994  LAT       
  MONTESINOS Macarena  1995  CHI       
  LEMGART Charlotte Techen  1993  DAN       
  VAN BUYNDER Isabel  1991  BEL       
  VYHMEISTER Stefanie  1993  CHI       
  ZUBCIC Tamara  1995  CRO       
  TSIKLAURI Nino  1993  GEO       
  VILHJALMSDOTTIR Helga Maria  1995  ISL       
  BARAHONA Noelle  1990  CHI       
Did not finish 2nd run
  DIRKZWAGER Mandy  1990  NED       
  ROSS Laurenne  1988  USA       
  CHRAPEK Karolina  1990  POL       
  HECTOR Sara  1992  SWE       
Did not finish 1st run
  NASSAR Lea  1995  LIB       
  RADOJICIC Milena  1995  MNE       
  LESIK Anastasiya  1995  BLR       
  BULATOVIC Ivana  1994  MNE       
  DOME Dora  1996  HUN       
  JANKOVIC Masa  1994  SRB       
  TOMIC Veronika  1994  SRB       
  MADSEN Malene  1993  DAN       
  GRIGOREVA Kseniya  1987  UZB       
  BELL Victoria  1994  IRE       
  CEA Javiera  1994  CHI       
  TIKUN Tetyana  1994  UKR       
  QIN Xiyue  1988  CHN       
  ASGEIRSDOTTIR Erla  1994  ISL       
  XIA Lina  1987  CHN       
  MILLER-BROWN Harriet  1991  NZL       
  PALIC Tea  1991  CRO       
  SHKANOVA Maria  1989  BLR       
  VOLOPICHOVA Valentina  1993  CZE       
  KIRKOVA Maria  1986  BUL       
  QUIROGA Julietta  1988  ARG       
  SOPPELA Merle  1991  FIN       
  PAULATHOVA Katerina  1993  CZE       
  TOMMY Mikaela  1995  CAN       
  FANCHINI Nadia  1986  ITA       
  MARMOTTAN Anemone  1988  FRA       
  GISIN Dominique  1985  SUI       

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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.