Another win for Renate Goetschl

Sestriere, March 10th. Renate Goetchl of Austria put an exclamation point on her World Cup downhill title by winning the last women’s downhill of the season at the World Cup finals in Sestriere. It’s a second major success on this course – in February 1997, she clinched the gold medal in combined on the same run. She celebrates her sixth win this season – her 33rd in total!

The Austrian veteran, starting 15th, scorched the men’s 2006 Olympic course with a time of 1:45:01, 35/100 of a second faster than Sylviane Berthod of Switzerland who reached her podium this season.
Isolde Kostner of Italy finished third, reaching her third consecutive podium. Germany’s Hilde Gerg, who still had a chance to beat her in the downhill standings, was a far 9th and her younger team-mate Maria Riesch a disappointing 12th.

USA’s Lindsey Kildow crashed out with the best intermediate time while fighting for a second podium of the season.

Goetschl was happy

Goetchl was very happy for the victory and the world cup title – her first since her last major triumph in March 2000 when she captured the overall title in Bormio.“In past years, I finished second or third many times,” she said, “so to finally stand at the top of the podium after my injuries and my surgeries last year is a dream come true.”

She actually made a mistake at the top of the run, in the second gate, recording only the 12th fastest time at the first intermediate point.
But realizing her mistake, Renate turned on the power, going the fastest in the final two intervals of the race.
“ I felt good most of the way down,” she said, “ but I performed better on the lower part of the course as I found my groove. This course is very challenging and perfect for the women. It’s for sure one of the most interesting this season.”

Goetchl had to work hard in past years after a knee injury slowed her progress two years ago following a bad crash in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. She was 2nd in the 2003 downhill standings, only 4 points behind her team-mate Michaela Dorfmeister.

Renate was third in Lake Louise’s second downhill, followed by two victories in St. Moritz and Veysonnaz, Switzerland. She also excelled in Super-G, wining three of them. She also had several second place finishes before winning in Sestriere. It was certainly one of her strongest season ever.
“It’s tough to come back from an injury,” said Renate, “but I felt confident after my first Super-G win in Canada in December and its been very good since then. Yet I was a little surprised to become on the main contenders for the overall World Cup title. I didn’t expect this to happen so early!”

Renate was too strong for Hilde Gerg

Hilde Gerg of Germany finished in second place in the downhill world cup, 134 points behind Goetchl. Gerg won the Cortina d’Ampezzo event, and was second three times, but slumped late in the season.
“Renate was just too tough this season, said Gerg, “and I didn’t do well in the final races.”

Carole Montillet of France, a far 11th in the race, was third in the standings with 492 points.
Isolde Kostner of Italy was another comeback-from-injury story, finishing off the podium in fourth but she was still very happy with her season.
“Until Haus I thought I would never win again,” said Kostner, “ but now I feel I can contend for the world cup again next season. I’m happy to be for the third consecutive time on the podium.”

Another battle in the Super-G

In Thursday’s Super-G, Goetschl will fight for another World Cup title against Montillet and also for the overall crown. Sweden’s Anja Paerson, who skipped the downhill to rest before her main races, will also compete to save her lead in the overall standings. Her advance went down to 74 points after this race.

“I’ll give my best for another Crystal Cup tomorrow,” Renate said at the Press Conference. “I’m more concentrated and more precise when I attack hard. To have won the downhill title today will help me to be very motivated and relaxed too. I reached more than I expected so far. For the moment, I don’t think about the overall standings, I wait the result of the Super-G. The overall title is the most prestigious trophy in our sport and I aim to win it again in the two coming years.”

Eric Moffitt