Schild: "This is the greatest victory in my whole career!"
Marlies Schild turned back the clock and gave the rest of the slalom racing girls a lesson in how to race. While two of her protagonists, Tanja Poutiainen and Kathrin Zettel, started just in front of her, it was Schild who killed the race on the first run. Zettel had edged the lead from Poutiainen by two hundredths of a second before Schild stole over a second on the two. As a contest this killed the affaire. For the rest of the field they were fighting for scraps and just the chance to make the top thirty. Lindsey Vonn proved that she is a fighter but “hoping that the adrenalin would blunt the pain” caused by her spectacular crash in the Giant Slalom, yet she was still hindered by the restriction of having her hand in plaster. The second run was full of intrigue and excitement but no great second charge to the podium that had been witnessed for the Giant Slalom. Sandrine Aubert from France stole a march on many by taking the lead from Tina Maze and then came the top three. In the end a smashed pole ruined Poutiainen’s hopes and Zettel had to settle in behind Aubert. With almost one and a third seconds advantage on Aubert Schild could have taken it easy but she attacked and extended her lead over the Frenchwoman to snatch victory!
The second run had been marked by a return to form of Sarah Schleper. Schleper has spent most of the last two year out with injury and then the birth of her son and this was a great performance. Deprived of US Team status, having to self fund her racing and look after her child, you would have thought that this would be too much! No way, Schleper placed 13th in the GS and attacked the second run that put such luminaries like Vonn (who she tied with on the first run) in the shade. From joint 12th, Schleper took the lead and then had the long wait as others tried to post better times. World Champions, Olympic Gold medallists and World Cup winners all failed. In the end it was Tina Maze, not a famed Slalom skier that managed to squeeze in front of the American.
When Nicole Gius messed up with five to go, the American could start to dream of maybe a podium finish. Aubert stole the show to take the lead soon afterwards and then the drama started. Tanja Poutiainen attacked the top and it looked to be going well before she smashed a pole and her balance was gone. Try as hard as she might, the Finnish star lost her balance and started haemorrhaging time, eventually slipping literally down to 27th spot. “This is the first time that has ever happened to me,” she explained in the finish as the race carried on.
Kathrin Zettel was next up and the crowd were calling for an Austrian one two. Zettel was not sure she would even race this weekend yet has had a great weekend. It was not to be the lead but she slipped in behind the bright new star of French ski racing, Sandrine Aubert. Zettel explained afterwards: “It is a dream and I am very happy. I am surprised that the pain was not too bad in my knee, this makes me confident for the future.”
In the end it was all about Schild. This was the darling of Austrian women’s skiing at her magical best. It has been a long time since the noise was screaming for an Austrian win but the way that Schild attacked the course will give the rest of the girls fear. Schild was in imperious form as she made light of the conditions that had deteriorated with each runner.
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