ALPINE:

Schild tops Riesch, Gagnon 16th in Levi World Cup slalom

Nov. 13, 2010 — The Canadian Press 

LEVI, Finland — Marlies Schild of Austria used a blazing second run to win the first women's World Cup slalom race of the season Saturday, edging Olympic champion Maria Riesch in Levi, Finland.

Schild, who was fifth after the first run, beat Riesch by 0.03 seconds. She had the fastest time down the Levi Black course in the second leg.

Lindsey Vonn of the United States looked likely to challenge for the podium after a fast start to her second leg but nearly lost her balance halfway down the course and ended up sixth.

"I was skiing really well in the second run, I was really attacking and I had a really, really fast intermediate time," she said. "I just made a really, really big mistake unfortunately.

"I was going a little bit too straight and I was trying a little bit too hard. Sometimes you make mistakes when you are risking."

Local favourite Tanja Poutiainen of Finland was third, while Riesch's younger sister Susanne was fourth after setting the second-fastest time in the afternoon.

Marie-Michele Gagnon of Lac-Etchemin, Que., was the top Canadian in 16th. Erin Mielzynski of Guelph, Ont., Brittany Phelan of Mont-Tremblant, Que., Eve Routhier of Sherbrooke, Que., and Anna Goodman of Pointe Claire, Que., all did not finish their second runs.

"I think I like Levi," a smiling Schild said.

The Austrian, who returned to the World Cup circuit in 2009 from a year out with a broken leg, also won here in 2006.

"I wasn't so good in the first run, I was really nervous," she said. "In the second I tried to make some things different and to ski really fast in the steep part, not to be afraid. It worked out really well."

Schild won the slalom World Cup in 2007 and 2008 and took silver at the Vancouver Olympics, but said it was too early to tell whether she was back in top form.

"I had a very good preparation period, we had very good possibilities to train and also my physical condition was very good," she said.

Riesch, who won last year in Levi, said she wasn't aggressive enough in the last part of the race.

"My first run was really good on the top and then I had some problems when coming into the steep, but fortunately I could rescue it," the German said. "The second run was also good on the top and then I was a little bit too careful at the beginning of the steep."

Levi, some 80 miles north of the arctic circle, is the world's northernmost World Cup venue. The small ski resort is hosting cup slaloms for the fifth time since 2006.

Gagnon was 30th after the opening run on a surprisingly grippy and soft Levi Black piste. She took advantage of skiing first in the second run, and ended up 16th in a two-run time of 1:55.39.

"I was disappointed with my first run so I went into the second run more angry and aggressive. The conditions (in the second run) were actually not much better, I just skied the course a lot better," said Gagnon, who is off to a good start with solid results in both slalom and GS.

No such luck for Phelan, who was 31st in the opening run, just .02 behind Gagnon.

"Gagnon skied great in the second run, really taking advantage of the opportunity," coach Hugues Ansermoz said. "For Britt it was just one of those things that happen. It's disappointing for her for sure, to be that close to the second run."

Goodman returned to the World Cup after right knee surgery in March but finished well off the pace after breaking a pole early in her run.

"I started out OK for the first 15 gates until my pole broke in half. It was super-awkward after that," said Goodman, who had not raced in a World Cup since injuring her knee in early January, although she did still participate in the 2010 Olympic Games in February. "Not exactly the comeback I had anticipated, but I have been feeling really great on my skis and I know that Aspen will be a whole different story."

Routhier finished the first run 44th while Mielzynski was 56th.

The men open their World Cup season Sunday with Patrick Biggs, Julien Cousineau, Michael Janyk, Ryan Semple, Brad Spence, Paul Stutz and Trevor White scheduled to compete.

Canada's women's slalom team is spending Saturday night in Helsinki before returning to Canada to continue training.

As for upcoming alpine ski racing in Canada, snow control for the Bombardier presents Lake Louise Winterstart World Cup takes place next week with men's training getting under way on Nov. 24. The opening race, a men's downhill, takes place Nov. 27.

— Alpine Canada contributed to this report

S-Magazine

Levi women's World Cup slalom results