St Moritz women’s downhill

29th victory for Renate Goetschl

St Moritz, Switzerland. After a solid run down the Corviglia run partly used by the men last February during the 2003 World Championships, Austria’s Renate Goetschl won her 15th World Cup downhill – and her 29th event in total. She was by 18/100 faster than the very consistent Hilde Gerg while the graceful Maria Riesch was 3rd at 19/100!

Yet the success of the 1999 World Champion in that specialty was less spectacular and dramatic than the impressive near-to-crash run of Sweden’s Anja Paerson, the fastest in the Friday’s last training run. The overall World Cup leader, who started in her very first World Cup downhill, was the fastest skier on course when she stumbled in a situated in the middle of a high-speed left turn. She lost her balance and touched the snow with her back yet she was able to fight back and return on the course. Unfortunately the determined 22-year-old skied through the two poles of a gate and was disqualified after clocking the ninth best time!

Other favorites as Switzerland’s Sylviane Berthod or Canada’s Emily Brydon, both very fast in training, were also disappointed by their performance. Berthod was 9th and Brydon a far 21st.

The 2002 Olympic Champion Carole Montillet was only 7th yet she kept the lead in the downhill standings ahead of Gerg and Goetschl who also moved up in the overall classification. Paerson remains in the lead with 510 points, 204 more than the Austrian, the overall Champion in the years 2000. Since then Renate didn’t clinch any Crystal Cup or gold medal.

In fact it was a small revenge that she celebrated in St Moritz where she already won two downhill races. Last February, she was an unhappy 5th in the race won by Canada’s Mélanie Tuergeon, who suffers from her back since last summer.

“It’s a great course for me and I was very motivated before the start. I didn’t ski so well in training so I had to improve my level today. Yet I could not achieve my best possible run and Anja Paerson could have been a great threat without her problem. She has the talent to excel in the speed event. She did a great run in the upper part of the course and she was lucky to overcome her difficult situation. She is really strong to have mastered this bad slip. She has to take risks to score heavy points in her races”.

“For the moment, I don’t think so far. I know from my own experience that you have to be very consistent and patient throughout the winter. Most of the time, you have to wait the last weeks to have a better idea about the real chances of the various favorites”.

“For the moment, I’m just happy to have won a downhill after my recent victory in a Super-G in Canada. So far I’m enjoying a nice season start. I hope to have a good chance to win at least one World Cup title this winter”.

Hilde Gerg, already very close to a first season victory earlier this month in Lake Louise, also aims to clinch the downhill Cup after winning Olympic Gold in slalom in 1998 and two Super-G World Cup titles in 1997 and 2002.
Her clean run brought her very close to Goetschl – and 2/100 ahead of her team-mate Maria Riesch. This tall and elegant athlete, who dominated the training runs in Lake Louise before fading in the race, reached her first podium in a World Cup race. A fine skier too in slalom and Super-G, Riesch has the potential to end the overall standings among the best 10!

It was also a good day for Nadia Styger was came in 4th – her best performance on the women’s tour. With three skiers among the top-10, the Swiss team had a promising day even if Berthod failed to reach her potential.

In Sunday’s Super-G, Renate Goetschl will again be the skier to beat on this slope which perfectly suits her technique. Montillet will try to fight back in her best specialty after a disappointing result in Lake Louise. Michaela Dorfmeister, the reigning Super-G World Champion is also expected to move up after the downhill which she only ended in 8th position.

Yet the greatest attraction in this last race prior Christmas should again be Anja Paerson afraid and upset after her run. “For sure I was lucky but I should not have done this mistake” said the angry World Cup leader. “I lost a great opportunity today; it’s just too bad because I was doing really well. I hope to have smoother run in the Super-G”.

Will she recovers her aggressiveness and her form in time for Sunday? After the race, she admitted that she felt some pain at a shoulder. It’s also possible that Anja will go for a smooth and safer run in her first Super-G this season.

ML