Germany's Viktoria Rebensburg speeds down the course on her way to win an alpine ski women's World Cup giant slalom race, in Soelden, Austria, Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010. (AP Photo/Armando Trovati)
. world ski news : Victoria Rebensburg lands first ever World Cup victory - 23 October 2010 - 15:09
German wins Soelden GS World Cup opener
ALPINE SKI WORLD CUP, SOELDEN, Austria – Viktoria Rebensburg is officially a giant slalom star, proving that the talent leading to her Olympic gold medal was no fleeting phenomenon and appears to be here to stay.
Germany's Viktoria Rebensburg speeds down the course on her way to win an alpine ski women's World Cup giant slalom race, in Soelden, Austria, Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010. (AP Photo/Armando Trovati)
The German who just celebrated her 21st birthday won the season-opening World Cup race in Soelden on Saturday, finishing with a two-run combined time of 2 minutes, 26.39 seconds, edging first-run leader and teammate Kathrin Hoelzl by 0.42 seconds as Italian Manuela Moelgg rounded out the podium, 0.86 seconds back.
Germany's Viktoria Rebensburg, center, winner of an alpine ski women's World Cup giant slalom race, celebrates on the podium with second placed Germany's Kathrin Hoelzl, left, and third placed Manuela Moelgg, of Italy, in Soelden, Austria, Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)
Though Rebensburg has been racing on the World Cup circuit since the 2006-07 season and is a three-time Junior World Ski Champion, last year marked her breakout season. She began with an eighth place in Soelden and followed up with several top 10s, one of which was her first podium, a second place in the Cortina d’Ampezzo GS. She then landed her Olympic gold and came close to the podium in the World Cup final GS race in Garmisch-Partenkirchen with a fourth place finish.
Germany's Viktoria Rebensburg celebrates on the podium after winning an alpine ski women's World Cup giant slalom race, in Soelden, Austria, Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)
Unlike so many Olympic champions who are never again able to find the winning formula after their shining day on the big stage, Rebensburg’s glory carries on.
“I’m so happy that I proved to everyone that it was not an accident or something,” Rebensburg said of her Olympic medal. “I’m so pleased with what I did today. I [never] dreamed to start this season with a win. It’s pretty cool that I did it.”
With Hoelzl finishing second and Maria Riesch in close contention in fifth (she was tied with Rebensburg in second place after the first run), the season opens with a tunnel of glowing hope for the German team, which hosts the 2011 world championships in February.
“It means so much for us,” Rebensburg said of her team’s success Saturday. “Now it seems like everything is perfect. But February, it’s such a long time now. You have to stay focused and keep pushing. But it’s good to start like that.”
The Germans capitalized on coach Christian Schwaiger’s first-run course set, but other racers said the snow was bumpy and that early season jitters added to the chatter.
“I always come close,” Tina Maze said of Soelden, where she finished sixth on Saturday. “I tried to win today but it was impossible. I guess I put too much pressure on myself. I tried to really attack, but it just didn’t work. You know when you are blocked, it’s not working. But second run I relaxed. I just felt better because you break the start. You break the nerves at the start of the season. So that was quite hard today in the first run but now it’s good. I’m happy that we just started and we broke the starting race.”
Austria's Kathrin Zettel clears a gate during the second run of the women's giant slalom World Cup race on the Rettenbach glacier in the Tyrolean ski resort of Soelden October 23, 2010. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner (AUSTRIA)
The light and snow conditions changed throughout the day, making it difficult for some racers, particularly those that started farther back in the first run, to find a smooth rhythm.
“I felt very bad on the slope. I [had] no speed and no good feelings,” said Italian Nicole Gius, who finished 26th, nearly five seconds off the winning time, and said that the four-second or more margin she and other racers had going into the second run was just too large a gap to fill. “I think it’s normal to take a lot of seconds. Four seconds are a lot, but this race is very special, the conditions are changing – the sun, the slope – so you can go faster and also go slower. For me it was slower.”
There were a couple of icy gates that led to three racers sliding out and crashing in the second run. Victims included Denise Karbon, Andrea Fischbacher and Taina Barioz. All were able to stand up and ski to the finish area.
Italy's Denise Karbon passes a gate during the first run of an alpine ski, Women's World Cup giant slalom in Soelden, Austria, Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)
The United States had a rough day with only Julia Mancuso breaking into the top 15 with a 12th place finish. Lindsey Vonn, who later admitted that she did not throw herself down the hill in her first run, was 18th. Sarah Schleper tied for 19th.
Julia Mancuso of the United States passes a gate during the first run of an alpine ski, Women's World Cup giant slalom in Soelden, Austria, Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010. (AP Photo/Armando Trovati)
“For sure I definitely skied more conservative in the first run, I went for it more (in the second run), and didn’t ski tactically smart, I made a few mistakes, but I think it’s just a matter of combining them both and being ready to race,” Mancuso said for SkiRacing.com.
“Today wasn’t my day, for sure, I was just expecting a lot more, I’ve been training really well and for sure I think I had first run jitters and I didn’t feel so nervous but I just didn’t ski myself, I skied pretty conservatively and it was definitely challenging with the snow conditions, the course has been getting pretty chopped up but it’s no excuse,” Vonn said, adding that she felt “confident for the season.”
Lindsay Vonn from the U.S. reacts after a women's giant slalom World Cup race on the Rettenbach glacier in the Tyrolean ski resort of Soelden October 23, 2010. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger (AUSTRIA)
Tania Poutiainen led the veterans with a fourth-place finish, giving notice that she should not be counted out for the season.
As for racers returning from injury after an entire season off the race course, Swiss teenager Lara Gut had a fair race, finishing 25th, though four and a half seconds slower than the winning time, while Nicole Hosp, starting with bib No. 36, finished 32nd in the first run, failing to make the cut for the second run.
The opening World Cup weekend continues with the fabled fan parade this evening, the men’s bib draw and the men’s GS here tomorrow, Oct. 24, on the Rettenbach Glacier.
Shauna Farnell
FISalpine.com
Saturday 23 October 2010
Place Soelden (AUT) Discipline Giant Slalom
Date 23.10.2010 Category FIS World Cup
Race codex 5098 Gender L
Valid for FIS Points YES TD Name Klammer Herbert (ITA)
Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Run 1 Run 2 Total Time FIS Points
1 1 205218 REBENSBURG Viktoria 1989 GER 1:12.19 1:14.20 2:26.39 0.00
2 2 205993 HOELZL Kathrin 1984 GER 1:11.74 1:15.07 2:26.81 2.50
3 4 296259 MOELGG Manuela 1983 ITA 1:12.63 1:14.62 2:27.25 5.11
4 3 185140 POUTIAINEN Tanja 1980 FIN 1:12.39 1:14.93 2:27.32 5.53
5 6 206001 RIESCH Maria 1984 GER 1:12.19 1:15.30 2:27.49 6.54
6 5 565243 MAZE Tina 1983 SLO 1:12.72 1:14.80 2:27.52 6.72
7 7 55838 ZETTEL Kathrin 1986 AUT 1:13.03 1:14.64 2:27.67 7.61
8 15 196928 WORLEY Tessa 1989 FRA 1:13.37 1:14.44 2:27.81 8.44
9 24 196793 MARMOTTAN Anemone 1988 FRA 1:13.61 1:14.30 2:27.91 9.03
10 10 55576 GOERGL Elisabeth 1981 AUT 1:13.34 1:14.64 2:27.98 9.45
11 11 297601 BRIGNONE Federica 1990 ITA 1:13.91 1:14.52 2:28.43 12.12
12 18 537545 MANCUSO Julia 1984 USA 1:14.42 1:14.83 2:29.25 17.00
13 37 105269 GAGNON Marie-Michele 1989 CAN 1:15.36 1:13.91 2:29.27 17.12
14 34 206355 DUERR Lena 1991 GER 1:15.71 1:13.57 2:29.28 17.18
15 14 55759 KIRCHGASSER Michaela 1985 AUT 1:14.13 1:15.28 2:29.41 17.95
16 12 505483 PAERSON Anja 1981 SWE 1:14.09 1:15.41 2:29.50 18.48
17 20 296379 GIANESINI Giulia 1984 ITA 1:14.95 1:14.59 2:29.54 18.72
18 19 537544 VONN Lindsey 1984 USA 1:15.56 1:14.11 2:29.67 19.49
19 25 55818 KOEHLE Stefanie 1986 AUT 1:16.05 1:13.97 2:30.02 21.57
19 22 536481 SCHLEPER Sarah 1979 USA 1:15.92 1:14.10 2:30.02 21.57
21 8 505760 PIETILAE-HOLMNER Maria 1986 SWE 1:14.86 1:15.44 2:30.30 23.24
22 40 505632 LINDELL-VIKARBY Jessica 1984 SWE 1:15.53 1:15.03 2:30.56 24.78
23 17 515766 SUTER Fabienne 1985 SUI 1:14.70 1:15.97 2:30.67 25.44
24 45 506399 HECTOR Sara 1992 SWE 1:15.97 1:14.89 2:30.86 26.57
25 21 516138 GUT Lara 1991 SUI 1:15.24 1:15.65 2:30.89 26.74
26 23 295435 GIUS Nicole 1980 ITA 1:16.10 1:15.27 2:31.37 29.60
27 29 225206 ALCOTT Chemmy 1982 GBR 1:15.62 1:16.11 2:31.73 31.74
Did not qualify 1st run
66 106988 STEVENS Victoria 1990 CAN
65 516280 HOLDENER Wendy 1993 SUI
64 425803 GROSVOLD Thea 1990 NOR
63 305944 KIYOSAWA Emiko 1983 JPN
62 565320 FERK Marusa 1988 SLO
60 155415 ZAHROBSKA Sarka 1985 CZE
59 297910 CURTONI Elena 1991 ITA
58 425916 FAUSA Chloe Margrethe 1992 NOR
57 435210 GASIENICA DANIEL Agnieszka 1987 POL
55 55947 FENNINGER Anna 1989 AUT
54 297702 MARSAGLIA Francesca 1990 ITA
52 206160 RIESCH Susanne 1987 GER
51 306249 HASEGAWA Emi 1986 JPN
49 515849 DETTLING Andrea 1987 SUI
48 538284 MCJAMES Megan 1987 USA
47 515937 FUHRER Kathrin 1988 SUI
46 206078 FERNSEBNER Carolin 1986 GER
44 505886 KLING Kajsa 1988 SWE
43 196726 BARTHET Anne-Sophie 1988 FRA
42 425880 SEJERSTED Lotte Smiseth 1991 NOR
41 495065 RIENDA Maria Jose 1975 SPA
39 565268 DREV Ana 1985 SLO
36 55690 HOSP Nicole 1983 AUT
35 705287 ZUZULOVA Veronika 1984 SVK
33 425629 LOESETH Lene 1986 NOR
30 56087 SIEBENHOFER Ramona 1991 AUT
28 296509 CURTONI Irene 1985 ITA
27 196179 BERTRAND Marion 1984 FRA
Did not finish 2nd run
16 55750 FISCHBACHER Andrea 1985 AUT
13 295445 KARBON Denise 1980 ITA
9 196725 BARIOZ Taina 1988 FRA
Did not finish 1st run
69 196806 NOENS Nastasia 1988 FRA
68 435142 KARASINSKA Katarzyna 1982 POL
67 155699 PAULATHOVA Katerina 1993 CZE
61 185271 LEINONEN Sanni 1989 FIN
56 505679 HANSDOTTER Frida 1985 SWE
53 197319 BAUD Adeline 1992 FRA
50 55806 ALTACHER Margret 1986 AUT
38 56032 SCHILD Bernadette 1990 AUT
32 106825 PREFONTAINE Marie-Pier 1988 CAN
31 195671 JACQUEMOD Ingrid 1978 FRA
26 296476 ALFIERI Camilla 1985 ITA