Alpine Skiing World Cup
Maiden downhill win for Gut as Vonn crashes out
Lara Gut's exceptional talent was rewarded at last when the Swiss won her maiden World Cup downhill in Val d'Isere on Friday.
Gut, who won a downhill silver medal at the age of 17 at the 2009 world championships in the same French resort - though on a different piste - clinched victory in one minute 19.75 seconds.
The Swiss skier was helped by the unexpected exit of Lindsey Vonn, winner of all four speed events held so far this season. The American four-times World Cup winner crashed on a turn in the upper section and ended up in the safety netting.
Vonn eventually skied down the OK piste safely but was so frustrated that the usually talkative Olympic champion refused to make any comment in the finish area.
Gut, who has won two Super-G races since 2009, has been slowly returning to form after a hip injury in 2010.
"I knew I was on the way back, that things were coming into place but I needed a confirmation. I'm very happy because it's my first downhill win, but even more because I'm back to the level that was mine before," she told reporters.
The Swiss, now 21, was helped by circumstances as the shortened course suited her skills while her early bib allowed her to take advantage of better visibility.
"I made the most of the conditions; I gave it my all as I always do", said Gut, known for her aggressive, swashbuckling style of skiing.
With Vonn out, American pride was restored by Leanne Smith who finished 0.16 seconds adrift in second place, the first World Cup podium of her career.
Gut's compatriot Nadja Kamer was third, half a second off the pace.
World Cup leader Tina Maze was 12th, 1.02 behind Gut, enough for her to reach 701 points in the overall standings, a better tally after 10 races than Vonn's at the same stage last season before the American ended on a record total of 1,980 points.
"It was not great today but I had my mind set on tomorrow's super-G, the only discipline in which I still have to win," the Slovenian said.
Maze, who leads leading Germany's Maria Hoefl-Riesch by 236 points and Vonn by 285, said she was feeling the pressure of being the woman to beat.
"It's a different pace. I'm used to fighting and I know how to handle it but this is a real tight fight. It's exhausting," she said, eager to leave behind the speed events and return to technical events.
"I need these changes in the season. When you shift discipline, everything changes - the skis, the mental approach. It's almost like you're a different person," she said.
Svindal dominates Val Gardena super-G
Aksel Lund Svindal tightened his grip on the men's World Cup with his third victory of the season in a super-G on Friday.
The Norwegian, winner of a downhill and a super-G in Lake Louise last month, clocked one minute 36.95 seconds and could, on current form, snatch another double in Saturday's downhill on the same Saslong course.
"I trained really well in the summer and I'm in the form of my life," said the 2007 and 2009 overall World Cup champion.
On Saturday, the opposition to the Olympic champion should again come from local skiers as Italy's Matteo Marsaglia and Werner Heel were second and third on Friday.
Marsaglia, who earned his maiden World Cup victory in Beaver Creek two weeks ago, missed a second back-to-back super-G win by 1.07 seconds.
Heel, who finished 0.05 further down, won the Val Gardena super-G in 2008 but had not made it on to a World Cup podium for nearly three years.
Svindal narrowly avoided a crash on the final section.
"It was a very demanding course, full of turns and it suits me. I skied over the limit at times and it could have cost me dearly," he said.
"I knew I could do well on the Saslong. I've had podiums in the past in super-Gs and it's always great for morale to do well here."
In the World Cup overall standings, Svindal leads American Ted Ligety by 132 points and defending champion Marcel Hirscher of Austria by 160.
Maiden downhill win for Gut as Vonn crashes out
Lara Gut's exceptional talent was rewarded at last when the Swiss won her maiden World Cup downhill in Val d'Isere on Friday.
Gut, who won a downhill silver medal at the age of 17 at the 2009 world championships in the same French resort - though on a different piste - clinched victory in one minute 19.75 seconds.
The Swiss skier was helped by the unexpected exit of Lindsey Vonn, winner of all four speed events held so far this season. The American four-times World Cup winner crashed on a turn in the upper section and ended up in the safety netting.
Vonn eventually skied down the OK piste safely but was so frustrated that the usually talkative Olympic champion refused to make any comment in the finish area.
Gut, who has won two Super-G races since 2009, has been slowly returning to form after a hip injury in 2010.
"I knew I was on the way back, that things were coming into place but I needed a confirmation. I'm very happy because it's my first downhill win, but even more because I'm back to the level that was mine before," she told reporters.
The Swiss, now 21, was helped by circumstances as the shortened course suited her skills while her early bib allowed her to take advantage of better visibility.
"I made the most of the conditions; I gave it my all as I always do", said Gut, known for her aggressive, swashbuckling style of skiing.
With Vonn out, American pride was restored by Leanne Smith who finished 0.16 seconds adrift in second place, the first World Cup podium of her career.
Gut's compatriot Nadja Kamer was third, half a second off the pace.
World Cup leader Tina Maze was 12th, 1.02 behind Gut, enough for her to reach 701 points in the overall standings, a better tally after 10 races than Vonn's at the same stage last season before the American ended on a record total of 1,980 points.
"It was not great today but I had my mind set on tomorrow's super-G, the only discipline in which I still have to win," the Slovenian said.
Maze, who leads leading Germany's Maria Hoefl-Riesch by 236 points and Vonn by 285, said she was feeling the pressure of being the woman to beat.
"It's a different pace. I'm used to fighting and I know how to handle it but this is a real tight fight. It's exhausting," she said, eager to leave behind the speed events and return to technical events.
"I need these changes in the season. When you shift discipline, everything changes - the skis, the mental approach. It's almost like you're a different person," she said.
Svindal dominates Val Gardena super-G
Aksel Lund Svindal tightened his grip on the men's World Cup with his third victory of the season in a super-G on Friday.
The Norwegian, winner of a downhill and a super-G in Lake Louise last month, clocked one minute 36.95 seconds and could, on current form, snatch another double in Saturday's downhill on the same Saslong course.
"I trained really well in the summer and I'm in the form of my life," said the 2007 and 2009 overall World Cup champion.
On Saturday, the opposition to the Olympic champion should again come from local skiers as Italy's Matteo Marsaglia and Werner Heel were second and third on Friday.
Marsaglia, who earned his maiden World Cup victory in Beaver Creek two weeks ago, missed a second back-to-back super-G win by 1.07 seconds.
Heel, who finished 0.05 further down, won the Val Gardena super-G in 2008 but had not made it on to a World Cup podium for nearly three years.
Svindal narrowly avoided a crash on the final section.
"It was a very demanding course, full of turns and it suits me. I skied over the limit at times and it could have cost me dearly," he said.
"I knew I could do well on the Saslong. I've had podiums in the past in super-Gs and it's always great for morale to do well here."
In the World Cup overall standings, Svindal leads American Ted Ligety by 132 points and defending champion Marcel Hirscher of Austria by 160.
