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Cortina
d’Ampezzo, women’s downhill
training
Renate Goetschl aims for more victories
By Manuèle Lang
Cortina d’Ampezzo, Jan.15th 2004.
Maria Riesch, the greatest talent
within the German ski team, clocked
the fastest time today in the second
training run held by difficult weather
conditions on the 2,490 meters long
“Olimpia-Tofana” course
where the next two downhill races
are scheduled this weekend. Gusty
winds and bad visibility influenced
the issue of that last test, preventing
many contenders to totally express
their potential on the challenging
run.
This timed-trial was also marked by
the terrible crash of Switzerland’s
Tamara Müller. The 26-year-old
athlete from Goldau, 4th here last
winter in a Super-G, severely injured
herself at her knees during her fall.
She seems to have blown out several
ligaments and a meniscus. Last year,
the Swiss already suffered a bad accident
on the same course, fracturing her
leg two days after qualifying for
the 2003 Worlds in St Moritz.
The German are fast
19-year-old Maria Riesch proved once
more her determination during her
run. The tall and graceful teenager
from Garmisch-Partenkirchen, twice
on the podium in super-g this season,
beat by .04 second Austria’s
dominating speed specialist Renate
Goetschl while Italy’s Isolde
Kostner was an impressive 3rd, half
a second behind them. It’s the
most promising performance this season
for the 28-year-old tiny Italian who
suffered a strong concussion last
winter in Lake Louise during a bad
crash. Kostner, who won five races
in Cortina d’Ampezzo in recent
years, has not reached a podium in
the last twelve months.
Another German, Hilde Gerg, the leader
in the World Cup downhill and super-g
standings, was 4th and Michaela Dorfmeister,
the defending downhill World Cup champion
was 7th. France’s Carole Montillet,
who didn’t reach any podium recently
after dominating the first two downhills
in Lake Louise, was conservative 14th
at 1,24 seconds. Dorfmeister is the
only favourite having never won in
Cortina d’Ampezzo considered
as the most prestigious stop on the
women’s speed circuit.
Anja Paerson, a disappointed 20th
in Wednesday’s Super-G dominated
by Canada’s surprising Geneviève
Simard, who missed a gate today, was
a cautious 42nd. The Swede didn’t
take any risk on the demanding Italian
course which will host another super-g
on Friday.
Goetschl is confident
Renate Goetschl who won four races
here in the past, didn’t care
too much about the results of this
last training. She already concentrates
on the next super-g. “It was
too windy today to take a lot of risks,”
she said. “I went for a safe
run. I perfectly know this slope.
I hope that the course conditions
will be better during the next days.”
“Apparently, the warm temperatures
changed the quality of snow in the
upper part on Wednesday. There is
no other reason to explain why so
many top-specialists lost so much
time in the first section on Geneviève
Simard. I had a solid run but I had
no chance to reach the podium. I want
to do much better during the next
three competitions to remain in the
race for the downhill and super-g
World Cup standings. Hilde Gerg is
extremely consistent this winter and
she will be hard to beat if she keeps
the same rhythm. If the conditions
are fair, I should be able to make
it!”
With three outstanding results in
the next days, Goetschl has also a
chance to pass Anja Paerson in the
overall standings if the Scandinavian
can’t improve her level. So far,
her 9th place in a super-g in Megêve
is Paerson’s best result in speed
events this winter. It’s not
enough to remain out of reach in the
coming days.
Simard will try hard
In Friday’s super-G, Geneviève
Simard will do her best to confirm
her splendid victory from Wednesday.
Yet, she might have a hard time to
beat again all the other top-contenders
as Gerg, Riesch, Goetschl or Montillet.
The 2003 super-g World Cup winner
has not yet reached a podium in this
specialty this winter. The French
was 4th in Megêve and 5th earlier
this week. A top-3 performance would
help her to regain some momentum before
the two next important downhills.
The 2002 Olympic champion has a stronger
chance this winter to clinch the downhill
Cup which she missed by a few points
last year.
ML
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