U.S. women
make strides
Hahnenkamm is next
The improving American women’s team made
big breakthroughs during four days of World Cup racing Jan. 14-18 at Cortina
d’Ampezzo, Italy.
Colorado 19-year-old Lindsey Kildow nailed
the Cortina downhill course for two straight days—finishing fifth Saturday then
turning around and earning her first-ever World Cup podium Sunday in third
place.
Kildow, downhill silver medalist at the
2003 World Junior Championships, said she had been hoping for a podium Saturday,
and she got it Sunday. "This is a big breakthrough for Lindsey," said DH/SG
coach Alex Hoedlmoser of the U.S. Ski Team.
Her teammate Kirsten Clark, 26, of Maine
shared in the top-10 downhill success at Cortina, with a sixth and fifth. And
Clark was the top Yank in Friday’s super giant slalom.
Clark (443 points), fifth in DH standings,
stayed in ninth place in the World Cup overall ranks, as Austria’s downhill
leader Renate Goetschl (869) moved ahead of season-long leader Anja Paerson of
Sweden (798).
The women travel to Maribor, Slovenia for
GS and SL Jan. 24-25.
Meanwhile, a snowstorm canceled Saturday’s
74th running of the Lauberhorn downhill at Wengen, Switz. Among other things, it
meant the men will have two downhills during the "Super Bowl" of alpine
weekends—the Hahnenkamm DH/DH/SG/SL Jan. 22-25 at Kitzbuehel, Austria.
Here is last week’s wrap-up:
Women’s DH Jan. 18 at Cortina d’Ampezzo,
Italy: 1—Carole Montillet (Fra.) 1:17.57. 3—Lindsey Kildow 1:16.51.
5—Kirsten Clark 1:16.90. 16—Julia Mancuso 1:17.61. 27—Libby Ludlow 1:18.30. 30—Jonna
Mendes 1:18.40. 32—Caroline Lalive 1:18.53.
Women’s DH Jan. 17 at Cortina d’Ampezzo,
Italy: 1—Hilde Gerg (Germ.) 1:17.57. 5—Lindsey Kildow 1:18.22. 6—Kirsten
Clark 1:18.23. 29—Julia Mancuso 1:19.31. 39—Jonna Mendes 1:19.74. 49—Libby
Ludlow 1:20.20.
Women’s SG Jan. 16 at Cortina d’Ampezzo,
Italy: 1—Renate Goetschl (Aust.) 1:10.59. 9—Kirsten Clark 1:11.77.
12—Caroline Lalive 1:12.17. 16—Libby Ludlow 1:12.28. 28—Julia Mancuso 1:12.51.
29—Jonna Mendes 1:12.53. 43—Lindsey Kildow 1:13.18.
Women’s SG Jan. 14 at Cortina d’Ampezzo,
Italy: 1—Genevieve Simard (Can.) 1:13.05. 4—Caroline Lalive 1:13.90.
10—Julia Mancuso 1:14.42. 16—Kirsten Clark 1:14.64. 24—Libby Ludlow 1:14.85. 37—Jonna
Mendes 1:15.45. 53—Lindsey Kildow 1:16.86.
Current women’s World Cup standings:
1—Renate Goetschl (Aust.) 869 (1-DH). 2—Anja Paerson (Swe). 798 (1-SL).
9—Kirsten Clark 443 (5-DH). 16—Caroline Lalive 212 (11-SG). 18—Sarah Schleper
195 (9-GS).
Men’s SL Jan. 18 at Wengen, Switz.:
1—Benjamin Raich (Aust.) 1:40.50. 22—Tom Rothrock 1:43.05. DNF—Bode Miller. DNQ—Chip
Knight.
Current men’s World Cup overall
standings: 1—Benjamin Raich (Aust.) 680. 2—Lasse Kjus (Nor.) 595. 3—Hermann
Maier (Aust.) 555. 4—Bode Miller 497 (1-GS by a 310-249 margin over Kalle
Palander). 11—Daron Rahlves 316.