Alpine

Vonn Second In World Cup Finals Downhill

by
USSA
2017-03-15 14:07
 

ASPEN, Colorado (March 15, 2017) – Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) wrapped up the World Cup downhill season with her fourth podium finish of the season at the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals on a warm, spring day in Aspen.

Slovenia’s Ilka Stuhec won the overall World Cup downhill title after winning her fourth downhill of the season as temperatures reached into the upper 50s. Italy’s Sofia Goggia was third. Stuhec trails Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) by 273 points in the battle for the overall World Cup title with three races remaining.


Lindsey Vonn stood on the podium in second place with Ilka Stuhec in first and Sofia Goggia in third. (U.S. Ski Team)

Other U.S. finishers included, Laurenne Ross (Bend, OR) in fifth; Jackie Wiles (Aurora, OR) 14th; Stacey Cook (Mammoth Mountain, CA) 16th; and newly crowned Junior World Downhill Champion Alice Merryweather (Hingham, MA) in 19th.

 

 

Vonn was happy with her second-place result, especially as she fought off a cold and fatigue following her return to the World Cup this past January after a pair of injuries.

“I have to put everything into perspective. I am really happy to be second, coming back from this injury … so I’m very appreciative of being on the podium,” said Vonn, who slid into the finish corral pads following her run. “I was so tired. I just couldn’t stop fast enough. That’s one of the first times I’ve done that and I’m happy that (no injuries) happened.”

Laurenne Ross
Laurenne Ross finished fifth in Aspen. (Getty Images-Tom Pennington)

In the men’s race, Italy’s Peter Fill, who trailed Norway’s Kjetil Jansrud by 33 points in the battle for the overall World Cup downhill title, finished second for the fourth time this season to win the downhill title by 23 points. Fill’s countryman Dominik Paris won the race, as Swiss Carlo Janka was third. Jansrud, winner of two World Cup downhill races this season, finished 11th.

For the Americans, Travis Ganong (Sqauw Valley, CA) was 17th, and Sam Morse, who won the Junior World Downhill title last week in Are, Sweden, finished 21st in his World Cup debut.

Travis Ganong
Travis Ganong was 17th Wednesday in Aspen. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom- Alexis Boichard)

“What an unbelievable experience,” said Morse, who heads off to Mont Ste-Marie, Quebec for the NorAm finals this weekend and then U.S. Alpine Championships at Sugarloaf, Maine, next week before planning a full World Cup season next year. “This is great! It’s an honor just to be here, to be even within the same ballpark with these guys is incredible.”

 

 

Up next, the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals continue Thursday with men and women’s super G.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Dominik Paris of Italy and Ilka Stuhec of Slovenia won their respective men and women’s Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals downhill races Wednesday in Aspen, Colorado.
  • Stuhec wrapped up the overall World Cup downhill title for the women, and Italy’s Peter Fill won the men’s overall World Cup downhill title.
  • Stuhec trails Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) by 273 points in the battle for the overall World Cup title with three races remaining.
  • Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) was the top-placed American in the women’s race in second, as Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, CA) was the top-placed American in the men’s race in 17th.
  • Other American finishers included: Laurenne Ross (Bend, OR) in fifth; Jackie Wiles (Aurora, OR) 14th; Stacey Cook (Mammoth Mountain, CA) 16th; and newly crowned Junior World Downhill Champions Alice Merryweather (Hingham, MA) and Sam Morse were 19th and 21st in their respective races.
  • The Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals continue Thursday with men and women’s super G.

 

QUOTES
Travis Ganong
Today’s wasn’t what I wanted, but it’s always good to race at home in the U.S. and be back in Aspen. Last time I raced here was in 2010 … it’s a sweet course, a great venue.

We have the super G tomorrow and this hill is going to be really, really challenging. You go down Aztec and some of those turns are just stacked, super steep and unforgiving.

Sam Morse
What an unbelievable experience. This is great! It’s an honor just to be here, to be even within the same ballpark with these guys is incredible.

Laurenne Ross
My run was pretty solid. I had a few spots I could have cleaned up a little bit, but it’s an awesome day and I feel spring coming on.

It’s awesome to be able to come home and finish out the World Cup season in the states. We’re really lucky to have this because it doesn’t happen very often.

Lindsey Vonn
I was so tired. I just couldn’t stop fast enough. That’s one of the first times I’ve done that and I’m happy that (no injuries) happened.

The training runs I didn’t feel too bad. But today, it’s really in my lungs, and I was in the start and saying ‘I don’t know how am I going to do this.’ But I just skied my best and the results are the results. I skied as hard as I could.

I have to put everything into perspective. I am really happy to be second, coming back from this injury … so I’m very appreciative of being on the podium.

BROADCAST (All Times EDT)
Thursday, March 16
11:30 a.m. - Men and women's super G - nbcsports.com/live - LIVE STREAM
12:00 p.m. - Men and women’s super G - NBCSN

Friday, March 17
12:30 p.m. – Team event – NBCSN

Saturday, March 18
11:00 a.m. - Men's GS - run 1 - nbcsports.com/live - LIVE STREAM
12:00 - Women's slalom - run 1 - nbcsports.com/live - LIVE STREAM
12:30 p.m. – Men's GS and women’s slalom - run 1 - NBCSN
1:30 p.m. - Men's GS - run 2 - nbcsports.com/live - LIVE STREAM
2:30 p.m. - Women's slalom - run 2 - nbcsports.com/live - LIVE STREAM
6:00 p.m. - Men's GS and women's slalom - run 2 - NBCSN

Sunday, March 19
11:00 - Women's GS - run 1 - nbcsports.com/live - LIVE STREAM
12:00 - Men's GS - run 1 - nbcsports.com/live - LIVE STREAM
1:00 p.m. – Men and women’s giant slalom - run 2 - NBCSN - LIVE

RESULTS
Men’s downhill
Women’s downhill

Stuhec and Fill
Slovenia’s Ilka Stuhec and Italy’s Peter Fill won the downhill Crystal Globes. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom-Francis Bompard)

WORLD CUP WINNERS/LEADERS
Men
Overall - Marcel Hirscher, Austria 
Downhill - Peter Fill, Italy
Super G - Kjetil Jansrud, Norway
Giant Slalom - Marcel Hirscher, Austria
Slalom - Marcel Hirscher, Austria
Alpine Combined - Alexis Pinturault, France

Women
Overall - Mikaela Shiffrin, USA - holds 278-point lead over Ilka Stuhec, Slovenia
Downhill - Ilka Stuhec, Slovenia
Super G - Ilka Stuhec, Slovenia - holds 15 point lead over Tina Weirather, Liechtenstein
Giant Slalom - Tessa Worley, France - holds 80 point lead over Mikaela Shiffrin
Slalom - Mikaela Shiffrin, USA 
Alpine Combined - Ilka Stuhec 

 


 


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