Goergl takes second in Aspen as Rebensburg storms second run
for Victory
Lizzi Goergl dominated the first run of the World Cup Giant Slalom
and held a lead of almost six tenths over the rest of the field. Yet
the HEAD Rebel admitted after the second run that had seen her drop
to second that she was not relaxed enough for the second run and was
not able to better the formidable run that Viktoria Rebensburg put
down to grab the win by a third of a second.
Chasing a gap of almost a second, Rebensburg produced a
stunning and determined second run to overhaul the Austrian and the
rest of the field.
Julia Mancuso gave the American crowd something to cheer with the
first American podium since 2004 in Aspen.
Goergl was at first annoyed that she had not won her third Giant
Slalom yet after analysing her run and the performances of others
was happy with second behind Rebensburg and ahead of Julia Mancuso.
While Goergl felt that she had not caught the line to the best of
her ability on some of the gates, the disappointment of not winning
soon faded and the infectious smile was soon there again. She
admitted before leaving for Lake Louise that her imperious lead from
the first run had not affected her mentally.
It was a solid day for the HEAD Rebels in Aspen as 22 year old Anna
Fenninger
also
produced another fantastic performance. When she came down after her
second run, Fenninger posted what was the fastest combined time to
that point. Having safely negotiated the shadows that were appearing
down the course, Fenninger had to
wait and see how good her time would
be. The fact that she was even at the start was remarkable as she
had been suffering from stomach pains after the first run.
Fenninger held on to take fourth overall. After having placed
sixth in Soelden, Fenninger bettered this and was quick to point out
that her “skis were working really well and this enabled me to
attack,” she explained.
For the winner in Soelden, Lindsey Vonn there was to be no double
victory. Her first run was not up to her high standards and her
second “felt better, I was definitely more aggressive, felt more
like myself but it was just tough with the terrain and flat light, I
just kept making mistakes but I did what I could and tried to make
up some time. I think I did better but just not quite enough; first
run was too far off.” Her old friend and now adversary Maria Hoefl
Riesch is having a worse time as she crashed out on the second run.
With two races in the Giant Slalom season now completed, Goergl,
Vonn and Fenninger sit in places two, three and four in the Overall
and Giant Slalom classification. Next up is the Slalom in Aspen.
Results from Aspen
1.
Viktoria Rebensburg (GER)
2.
Lizzi Goergl (AUT)
3.
Julia Mancuso (USA)
No GB racers
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