Vonn podiums; Mancuso 15th in Super G

By Lindsey Sine, USSA

VAL d’ISERE, France — It was another podium finish for World Champion Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) who, after taking the win in super combined on Friday, finished third Sunday in the Audi FIS World Cup super G in Val d’Isere. Switzerland’s Fraenzi Aufdenblatten won the race to mark the first World Cup victory of her career.

Vonn’s sixth podium of the season puts her 50 points ahead of rival and friend Maria Riesch of Germany in the Audi FIS World Cup standings going into the holidays. The defending champion has now been on the podium in every discipline but giant slalom this year.

“I was a little bit disappointed with my run today. I thought I didn’t execute very well in the top part of the course. I missed the timing on one gate and I feel like I lost the rhythm for the rest of the top,” Vonn said. “I wasn’t as aggressive as I should have been, but I picked it up on the bottom and all in all I’m happy with the day. It was a solid result and a good end to a good weekend.”

Women’s Alpine Head Coach Jim Tracy agreed with Vonn, saying the top could have been skied more aggressively.

“Lindsey was a little round on the top, but lit it up on the bottom section, especially where some of the girls were having problems and a couple of crashes happened,” Tracy said. “She skied aggressively down there where it was fast and that was good.”

Olympic champion Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA) had a solid day, finishing 15th and showing a lot of promise for future races.

“Julia skied pretty good. She had a little bobble at the bottom where a bunch of girls had problems. She got a little bit in the back seat and was pushed low on the line,” Tracy said. “Three or four tenths would have put her in a lot better of a position.”

Also making a charge in the super G was Alice Mckennis (Glenwood Springs, CO) who was 22nd, and Stacey Cook (Mammoth Mountain, CA) who, according to Tracy, was ripping the course but went out. McKennis was back in the points in only her fifth World Cup start, grabbing another super G start slot for the USA with her finish.

The women’s Alpine Team now breaks for the holiday season, but will resume competition Dec. 28-29 in Austria for slalom and giant slalom races.

Val d’Isere, France, Dec. 20 Women’s Super G

1. Fraenzi Aufdenblatten, Switzerland, 1:26.43

2. Nadia Styger, Switzerland, 1:26.66

3. Lindsey Vonn, Vail, CO, 1:26.69

4. Fabienne Suter, Switzerland, 1:27.33

5. Nadia Fanchini, Italy, 1:27.45

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15. Julia Mancuso, Olympic Valley, CA, 1:27.96

22. Alice McKennis, Glenwood Springs, CO, 1:28.46

38. Chelsea Marshall, Pittsfield, VT, 1:29.38

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DNF: Stacey Cook, Mammoth Mountain, CA; Keely Kelleher, Big Sky, MT; Leanne Smith, North Conway, NH