Janica Kostelic takes overall World Cup lead
Janica Kostelic took over the World Cup overall standings
The Croatian missed last season due to hyper-thyroidism
Agence France Presse
Kostelic 739
Goetschl 718
Poutiainen 706
1/15/2005, 9:36 a.m. ET
By ANDREW DAMPF
The Associated Press
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Austria's Renate Goetschl showed again Saturday she is the queen of Cortina, winning a downhill for her third victory in four days. And Croatia's Janica Kostelic showed she is back at the summit of World Cup skiing after missing all of last season.
Goetschl posted a winning time of 1 minute, 37.27 seconds — 0.29 ahead of Kostelic. Lindsey Kildow of the United States finished third, 0.44 behind, for her sixth top-three finish this season.
This was Goetschl's eighth victory on the Olympia delle Tofane course. It was also her 36th World Cup victory, tying her with Germany's Katja Seizinger for third place on the career list.
"It was a goal of mine to reach Katja. I'm happy that it's now, I didn't expect it so soon," said Goetschl, who had not won this season before arriving in this resort town, which is known as the queen of the Dolomite mountain range.
Kostelic finished second for her best career downhill result and took the lead in the overall World Cup standings.
"It's pretty good, but there are still a lot of races to come," said Kostelic, who celebrated wildly after her finish. "I'm not really into that right now. I'm really not thinking about it. I'm just going race to race."
A former two-time overall champion who missed last season because of illness and injuries, Kostelic now leads with 739 points. Goetschl moved into second with 718 and Finland's Tanja Poutiainen, who began the day with the lead, dropped to third with 706. Poutiainen does not compete in speed events and is taking the week off.
Defending overall winner Anja Paerson of Sweden finished 29th and dropped from second to fourth with 661 points.
With five super giant slalom wins and three downhill victories on this course, Goetschl matched Ingemar Stenmark for most wins at one resort. The Swedish great won eight slaloms and giant slaloms at Madonna Di Campiglio between 1974 and 1983.
"I'm just really happy about this now," Goetschl said. "It's not every day you get three victories day after day," she said.
Kildow lost her lead in the downhill standings to Goetschl after the race. She also trails the Austrian in the super-G standings. Kildow finished second to Goetschl in Friday's super-G. Goetschl also won a super-G on Wednesday, her first win of the season.
Racing in her shiny gold helmet and the red boots of the Austrian "Wunderteam," Goetschl was the first top skier to hit the course. She finished 1.02 seconds ahead of previous leader Kirsten Clark of the United States, who ended up eighth. In other American finishes, Caroline Lalive was 12th and Julia Mancuso 17th.
Despite perfect conditions that held up throughout the morning, no skier could catch Goetschl.
"On some other slope maybe," Kostelic said. "Being behind her here is like winning because she's too fast for everyone."
http://pennlive.com/newsflash/pa/index.ssf?/base/sports-6/110579904946840.xml&storylist=pahomepage
photo:janica50
Janica Kostelic took over the World Cup overall standings
The Croatian missed last season due to hyper-thyroidism
Agence France Presse
Goetschl wins first of two downhills at Cortina; Kildow third
By Hank McKee
January 15, 2005
The track at Cortina d'Ampezzo, Olympia delle Tofane, has some interesting nuances. Tap into them and you own the place. Regine Cavagnoud won four races there. Isolde Kostner won five. Katja Seizinger won four. But Renate Goetschl has changed the locks and parked her car in the garage with eight Cortina World Cup wins, the most by nearly double of any competitor.
Saturday, Jan. 15, with a day left yet to run, she had collected three wins at Cortina this season in four days. None of the margins were big, but they were big enough. "On some other slope, maybe" said runner-up Croatian star Janica Kostelic. "But, being behind her here is like winning... She's too fast for everyone."
With the most recent win Goetschl caught Katja Seizinger for third on the all time women's World Cup wins list with 36. It was something she had aimed at doing, "but I didn't expect it this soon." At 29, she could elect to go after the top two on the list, Vreni Schneider with 55 and Annemarie Moser-Proell with 62, but those marks will be well off into the future.
The second place result was nearly as exciting for Kostelic as first was for Goetschl. The Croate moved into the lead for the World Cup overall title with her first ever downhill podium. Both she and Goetschl overtook Finn Tanja Poutiainen who has led the tour from the early going with nothing but slalom and GS points. Poutiainen does not race downhill. "It's pretty good," said an elated Kostelic, "but there are still a lot of races to come." Thirteen in fact, assuming the schedule is completed in this weather dependent sport, (3DH, 3GS, 3SG, 3SL and 1 combined).
The happy news on the U.S. front was the sixth podium of the season for Lindsey Kildow who finished third. The 20 year old was set back in the downhill standings to second by Goetschl, but she is obviously still in the fight and still throwing punches. She skied brilliantly high on the course and may be having a set of Olympia delle Tofane keys made. In five races over two seasons she has never finished worse than fifth.
Kirsten Clark finished eighth, her best result of the season, but she had the unenviable delight of holding the lead before Goetschl came down and pushed her to second place by more than a second. The U.S. got it's usual five scoring finishers with Caroline Lalive in 12th, Julia Mancuso in 17th and Jonna Mendes in 23rd. Bryna McCarty was 38 missing points by .64. Libby Ludlow finished 42nd.
The Canadians suffered two DNF's and had Kelly Vanderbeek in 26th place. The only other Canadian racer to cross the finish line was Sophie Splawinski in 44th. This result didn’t come without any hardships: Approximately a kilometer into the race, Splawinski, the last racer out of the start gate, was yellow flagged after the skier ahead of her fell. Splawinski had to take the chairlift back to the summit of the course, and then hike up to the start hut positioned between two impressive rocks at the highest point on the mountain. Splawinski courageously regrouped herself and managed to ski a solid run considering her young experience on the World Cup circuit.
“I’m very happy about my run,� said Splawinski. “I stayed calm and I even found a way to use my re-run to my advantage. I talked to my coach and he gave me a few pointers on what I could do better in that first section. I guess every time you get another chance on this hill it’s a bonus!�
Also noteworthy was the return of former World Cup downhill title holder (2000) German Regine Haeusl. It was her first scoring race (27th place) in nearly a year as she attempts to rebound, at age 31, from torn left knee ligaments sustained a year ago. She had been a DNF in both Cortina SG's and had finished in the 30's and 40's in earlier races this season.
World Cup
Women's Downhill
Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy
Jan. 15, 2004
1. Renate Goetschl, AUT 1:37.27
2. Janica Kostelic, CRO 1:37.56
3. Lindsey Kildow, USA 1:37.71
4. Hilde Gerg, GER 1:37.80
5. Michaela Dorfmeister, AUT 1:37.95
6. Ingrid Jacquemod, FRA 1:37.98
7. Nadia Styger, SUI 1:38.20
8. Kirsten Clark, USA 1:38/29
9. Janette Hargin, SWE 1:38.33
10. Alexandra Meissnitzer, AUT 1:38.48
11. Karin Blaser, AUT 1:38.53
12. Caroline Lalive, USA 1:38.55
12. Jessica Lindell-Vikarby, SWE 1:38.55
14. Sylvaine Berthod, SUI 1:38.69
15. Isolde Kostner, ITA 1:38.75
16. Fraenzi Aufdenblatten, SUI 1:38.80
17. Julia Mancuso, USA 1:38.83
18. Astrid Vierthaler, AUT 1:38.96
19. Carole Montillet-Carles, FRA 1:39.03
20. Andrea Fischbacher, AUT 1:39.09
21. Petra Haltmayr, GER 1:39.12
22. Marie Marchand-Arvier, FRA 1:39.22
23. Jonna Mendes, USA 1:39.23
24. Magda Mattel, FRA 1:39.28
24. Isabelle Huber, GER 1:39.28
26. Kelly Vanderbeek, CAN 1:39.37
27. Katja Wirth, AUT 1:39.41
27. Regine Haeusl, GER 1:39.41
29. Anja Paerson, SWE 1:39.42
30. Selina Heregger, AUT 1:39.52
other North Americans:
38. Bryna McCarty, USA 1:40.16
42. Libby Ludlow, USA 1:40.70
44. Sophie Splawinski, CAN 1:40.99
DNF: Emily Brydon, Anne-Marie LeFrancois, CAN
THE SCOOP
By Hank McKee
equipment
Women's Downhill, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Jan. 15, 2005 Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Goetschl, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
2 Kostelic, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
3 Kildow, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
4 Gerg, Volkl/Lange/Marker
5 Dorfmeister, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
6 Jacquemod, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
7 Styger, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
8 Clark, Fischer/Salomon/Marker
9 Hargin, Rossignol/Lange/Rossignol
10 Meissnitzer, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker
Women's Downhill, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy Jan. 15, 2005. ... It is the 20th race of the women's 32 race (plus 1 combined) schedule. ... The fifth of eight scheduled downhills. ... Winning margin is .29 and the top seven are in the same second.
It is the 36th career victory for Renate Goetschl. ... third of the season and third in four days. ... It is her eighth win at Cortina. ... It is her 18th DH win. She is now tied with Katja Seizinger for third on all time women's victory list (behind Annemarie Moser-Proell and Vreni Schneider); and is second all time on the DH win list behind Moser-Proell.
It is the 34th career podium for Janica Kostelic. ... Her fifth of the season. ... It is her first career podium in DH.
It is the seventh career podium for Lindsey Kildow. ... Her sixth of the season. ... Her second in two days.
It is the best finish of the season for Kirsten Clark. ... It is her 29th career top 10. ... her fifth at Cortina. ... It is the sixth best of 10 scoring results this season for Caroline Lalive. ... She has been in the top 12 of all five DH's this season. ... It is the 12th scoring result of the season for Julia Mancuso. ...Her fourth in DH. ... It is the seventh scoring result of the season for Jonna Mendes. ... It is the fifth scoring result of the season for Kelly Vanderbeek.
It is the first scoring race in nearly a year (1/18/04) for 31 year old Regina Haeusl. ... she is returning from torn left knee ligaments 1/28/04. ... She had been a DNF in both Cortina SG's and had finished in the 30's and 40's in earlier races this season.
Both Janica Kostelic and Renate Goetschl moved past Tanja Poutiainen (did not race) and Anja Paerson (29th) in the overall standings... Kostelic holds the lead 739-718 over Goetschl. ... Poutiainen is third at 706 and Paerson fourth at 661. Top American is Lindsey Kildow in fifth at 625. ... Goetschl has the downhill standings lead 355-335 over Kildow with Hilde Gerg (finished 4th) third at 315. ... Caroline Lalive is next best American in eighth at 138. Austria leads the women's Nations Cup standings 3556-2074. ... The Germans are third at 1578.
http://www.skiracing.com/news/news_display.php/2126/ALPINE
Janica Kostelic takes overall World Cup lead
Janica Kostelic took over the World Cup overall standings
The Croatian missed last season due to hyper-thyroidism
Agence France Presse
Kostelic 739
Goetschl 718
Poutiainen 706
1/15/2005, 9:36 a.m. ET
By ANDREW DAMPF
The Associated Press
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Austria's Renate Goetschl showed again Saturday she is the queen of Cortina, winning a downhill for her third victory in four days. And Croatia's Janica Kostelic showed she is back at the summit of World Cup skiing after missing all of last season.
Goetschl posted a winning time of 1 minute, 37.27 seconds — 0.29 ahead of Kostelic. Lindsey Kildow of the United States finished third, 0.44 behind, for her sixth top-three finish this season.
This was Goetschl's eighth victory on the Olympia delle Tofane course. It was also her 36th World Cup victory, tying her with Germany's Katja Seizinger for third place on the career list.
"It was a goal of mine to reach Katja. I'm happy that it's now, I didn't expect it so soon," said Goetschl, who had not won this season before arriving in this resort town, which is known as the queen of the Dolomite mountain range.
Kostelic finished second for her best career downhill result and took the lead in the overall World Cup standings.
"It's pretty good, but there are still a lot of races to come," said Kostelic, who celebrated wildly after her finish. "I'm not really into that right now. I'm really not thinking about it. I'm just going race to race."
A former two-time overall champion who missed last season because of illness and injuries, Kostelic now leads with 739 points. Goetschl moved into second with 718 and Finland's Tanja Poutiainen, who began the day with the lead, dropped to third with 706. Poutiainen does not compete in speed events and is taking the week off.
Defending overall winner Anja Paerson of Sweden finished 29th and dropped from second to fourth with 661 points.
With five super giant slalom wins and three downhill victories on this course, Goetschl matched Ingemar Stenmark for most wins at one resort. The Swedish great won eight slaloms and giant slaloms at Madonna Di Campiglio between 1974 and 1983.
"I'm just really happy about this now," Goetschl said. "It's not every day you get three victories day after day," she said.
Kildow lost her lead in the downhill standings to Goetschl after the race. She also trails the Austrian in the super-G standings. Kildow finished second to Goetschl in Friday's super-G. Goetschl also won a super-G on Wednesday, her first win of the season.
Racing in her shiny gold helmet and the red boots of the Austrian "Wunderteam," Goetschl was the first top skier to hit the course. She finished 1.02 seconds ahead of previous leader Kirsten Clark of the United States, who ended up eighth. In other American finishes, Caroline Lalive was 12th and Julia Mancuso 17th.
Despite perfect conditions that held up throughout the morning, no skier could catch Goetschl.
"On some other slope maybe," Kostelic said. "Being behind her here is like winning because she's too fast for everyone."
http://pennlive.com/newsflash/pa/index.ssf?/base/sports-6/110579904946840.xml&storylist=pahomepage
photo:janica50
Janica Kostelic took over the World Cup overall standings
The Croatian missed last season due to hyper-thyroidism
Agence France Presse
Goetschl wins first of two downhills at Cortina; Kildow third
By Hank McKee
January 15, 2005
The track at Cortina d'Ampezzo, Olympia delle Tofane, has some interesting nuances. Tap into them and you own the place. Regine Cavagnoud won four races there. Isolde Kostner won five. Katja Seizinger won four. But Renate Goetschl has changed the locks and parked her car in the garage with eight Cortina World Cup wins, the most by nearly double of any competitor.
Saturday, Jan. 15, with a day left yet to run, she had collected three wins at Cortina this season in four days. None of the margins were big, but they were big enough. "On some other slope, maybe" said runner-up Croatian star Janica Kostelic. "But, being behind her here is like winning... She's too fast for everyone."
With the most recent win Goetschl caught Katja Seizinger for third on the all time women's World Cup wins list with 36. It was something she had aimed at doing, "but I didn't expect it this soon." At 29, she could elect to go after the top two on the list, Vreni Schneider with 55 and Annemarie Moser-Proell with 62, but those marks will be well off into the future.
The second place result was nearly as exciting for Kostelic as first was for Goetschl. The Croate moved into the lead for the World Cup overall title with her first ever downhill podium. Both she and Goetschl overtook Finn Tanja Poutiainen who has led the tour from the early going with nothing but slalom and GS points. Poutiainen does not race downhill. "It's pretty good," said an elated Kostelic, "but there are still a lot of races to come." Thirteen in fact, assuming the schedule is completed in this weather dependent sport, (3DH, 3GS, 3SG, 3SL and 1 combined).
The happy news on the U.S. front was the sixth podium of the season for Lindsey Kildow who finished third. The 20 year old was set back in the downhill standings to second by Goetschl, but she is obviously still in the fight and still throwing punches. She skied brilliantly high on the course and may be having a set of Olympia delle Tofane keys made. In five races over two seasons she has never finished worse than fifth.
Kirsten Clark finished eighth, her best result of the season, but she had the unenviable delight of holding the lead before Goetschl came down and pushed her to second place by more than a second. The U.S. got it's usual five scoring finishers with Caroline Lalive in 12th, Julia Mancuso in 17th and Jonna Mendes in 23rd. Bryna McCarty was 38 missing points by .64. Libby Ludlow finished 42nd.
The Canadians suffered two DNF's and had Kelly Vanderbeek in 26th place. The only other Canadian racer to cross the finish line was Sophie Splawinski in 44th. This result didn’t come without any hardships: Approximately a kilometer into the race, Splawinski, the last racer out of the start gate, was yellow flagged after the skier ahead of her fell. Splawinski had to take the chairlift back to the summit of the course, and then hike up to the start hut positioned between two impressive rocks at the highest point on the mountain. Splawinski courageously regrouped herself and managed to ski a solid run considering her young experience on the World Cup circuit.
“I’m very happy about my run,� said Splawinski. “I stayed calm and I even found a way to use my re-run to my advantage. I talked to my coach and he gave me a few pointers on what I could do better in that first section. I guess every time you get another chance on this hill it’s a bonus!�
Also noteworthy was the return of former World Cup downhill title holder (2000) German Regine Haeusl. It was her first scoring race (27th place) in nearly a year as she attempts to rebound, at age 31, from torn left knee ligaments sustained a year ago. She had been a DNF in both Cortina SG's and had finished in the 30's and 40's in earlier races this season.
World Cup
Women's Downhill
Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy
Jan. 15, 2004
1. Renate Goetschl, AUT 1:37.27
2. Janica Kostelic, CRO 1:37.56
3. Lindsey Kildow, USA 1:37.71
4. Hilde Gerg, GER 1:37.80
5. Michaela Dorfmeister, AUT 1:37.95
6. Ingrid Jacquemod, FRA 1:37.98
7. Nadia Styger, SUI 1:38.20
8. Kirsten Clark, USA 1:38/29
9. Janette Hargin, SWE 1:38.33
10. Alexandra Meissnitzer, AUT 1:38.48
11. Karin Blaser, AUT 1:38.53
12. Caroline Lalive, USA 1:38.55
12. Jessica Lindell-Vikarby, SWE 1:38.55
14. Sylvaine Berthod, SUI 1:38.69
15. Isolde Kostner, ITA 1:38.75
16. Fraenzi Aufdenblatten, SUI 1:38.80
17. Julia Mancuso, USA 1:38.83
18. Astrid Vierthaler, AUT 1:38.96
19. Carole Montillet-Carles, FRA 1:39.03
20. Andrea Fischbacher, AUT 1:39.09
21. Petra Haltmayr, GER 1:39.12
22. Marie Marchand-Arvier, FRA 1:39.22
23. Jonna Mendes, USA 1:39.23
24. Magda Mattel, FRA 1:39.28
24. Isabelle Huber, GER 1:39.28
26. Kelly Vanderbeek, CAN 1:39.37
27. Katja Wirth, AUT 1:39.41
27. Regine Haeusl, GER 1:39.41
29. Anja Paerson, SWE 1:39.42
30. Selina Heregger, AUT 1:39.52
other North Americans:
38. Bryna McCarty, USA 1:40.16
42. Libby Ludlow, USA 1:40.70
44. Sophie Splawinski, CAN 1:40.99
DNF: Emily Brydon, Anne-Marie LeFrancois, CAN
THE SCOOP
By Hank McKee
equipment
Women's Downhill, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Jan. 15, 2005 Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Goetschl, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
2 Kostelic, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
3 Kildow, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
4 Gerg, Volkl/Lange/Marker
5 Dorfmeister, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
6 Jacquemod, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
7 Styger, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
8 Clark, Fischer/Salomon/Marker
9 Hargin, Rossignol/Lange/Rossignol
10 Meissnitzer, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker
Women's Downhill, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy Jan. 15, 2005. ... It is the 20th race of the women's 32 race (plus 1 combined) schedule. ... The fifth of eight scheduled downhills. ... Winning margin is .29 and the top seven are in the same second.
It is the 36th career victory for Renate Goetschl. ... third of the season and third in four days. ... It is her eighth win at Cortina. ... It is her 18th DH win. She is now tied with Katja Seizinger for third on all time women's victory list (behind Annemarie Moser-Proell and Vreni Schneider); and is second all time on the DH win list behind Moser-Proell.
It is the 34th career podium for Janica Kostelic. ... Her fifth of the season. ... It is her first career podium in DH.
It is the seventh career podium for Lindsey Kildow. ... Her sixth of the season. ... Her second in two days.
It is the best finish of the season for Kirsten Clark. ... It is her 29th career top 10. ... her fifth at Cortina. ... It is the sixth best of 10 scoring results this season for Caroline Lalive. ... She has been in the top 12 of all five DH's this season. ... It is the 12th scoring result of the season for Julia Mancuso. ...Her fourth in DH. ... It is the seventh scoring result of the season for Jonna Mendes. ... It is the fifth scoring result of the season for Kelly Vanderbeek.
It is the first scoring race in nearly a year (1/18/04) for 31 year old Regina Haeusl. ... she is returning from torn left knee ligaments 1/28/04. ... She had been a DNF in both Cortina SG's and had finished in the 30's and 40's in earlier races this season.
Both Janica Kostelic and Renate Goetschl moved past Tanja Poutiainen (did not race) and Anja Paerson (29th) in the overall standings... Kostelic holds the lead 739-718 over Goetschl. ... Poutiainen is third at 706 and Paerson fourth at 661. Top American is Lindsey Kildow in fifth at 625. ... Goetschl has the downhill standings lead 355-335 over Kildow with Hilde Gerg (finished 4th) third at 315. ... Caroline Lalive is next best American in eighth at 138. Austria leads the women's Nations Cup standings 3556-2074. ... The Germans are third at 1578.
http://www.skiracing.com/news/news_display.php/2126/ALPINE