Vonn, Riesch and Tina Maze
topped the overall podium.
The Swiss fog
was Viktoria
Rebensburg’s
friend as she
took the 2011
giant slalom
title after the
final race was
canceled.
Squaw Valley proved once again that she is the one to beat when conditions are rough
and visibility nil. She won the season’s final downhill from wire to wire. It wasn’t pretty,
but a healthy, rejuvenated Mancuso took every split in an aggressive, in-your-face run. It
was her first victory since her win in Tarvisio four years ago. “I have been working through
injuries and working hard for the past four years,” said Mancuso, smiling broadly. “I am
finally back on the top of the downhill podium, and it feels great.”
Mancuso doesn’t really say why she has done so well when course conditions are very
trying — she won Olympic gold in the fog and wind at Sestriere — but her coach knows.
“She is the toughest girl I’ve got,” said Hoedlmoser, beaming, at the post-race awards
ceremony. He and his fellow coaches had five athletes qualify for the speed finals, the
most in U.S. history. Lindsey Vonn had sealed the downhill overall title for the fourth time
along with the super G prize. Mancuso’s victory combined with Stacey Cook’s solid ninth
place and Leanne Smith’s 16th gave Hoedlmoser good reason to smile.
Youth was also served. Switzerland’s Lara Gut, 20, who missed last season with a dislocated hip, skied brilliantly, only to see her run fall to the not-to be-denied effort of Mancuso. In fifth spot was Norway’s World Juniors downhill gold medalist, Lotte Smiseth
Sejersted, who pulled off a heart-in-your-throat trip that, while quick, would have made
a father’s hair turn grey (if not that way already). There were moments when her linked
recoveries seemed impossible, but the Norwegian youngster had no difficulty pointing
the skis down the hill, finishing fifth.
As to the race within the race — Lindsey Vonn versus Maria Riesch for the overall trophy — it was another decision for Lindsey. Save a critical mistake on the second turn,
Vonn brought it down the hill. Riesch skied tentatively at best and seemed almost, to put
it blunty, defeatist. Her body language resembled an NFL player whose team is down by
three touchdowns at the two-minute warning, a far cry from the demeanor Riesch had
displayed since taking the overall lead in December. As for the past three-time overall
winner, it was new coming from behind. “I kind of like chasing,” Vonn said with a smile.
Unlike Riesch, Vonn seemed relaxed and at ease. “I can’t do anything about Maria,” Vonn
said philosophically, “I just have to ski my own race and see what happens.”
It was a philosophy that appeared to be working. Still, the season history indicated that
Vonn had to carry as many points as possible into the technical events, where Riesch
had been far stronger. As Lindsey’s husband, Thomas, said after the downhill, “Given this
season’s results we have to count zero for slalom.”
Then the natural elements, the nemesis of ski racing, came to Lenzerheide’s Rothorn
range with a vengeance. The night before the men’s and women’s super G’s it rained,
not particularly hard, but relentlessly. Temperatures hovered in the mid-40s and just like
that, the super G’s had to be scrubbed: too wet, too dangerous. Erased, too, was Vonn’s
GEPA
SkiRacing.com APRIL 7, 2011 | 27
