Surprise Winner and Surprise U.S. Failure
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Version 0 of 1. SCHLADMING, Austria — The most successful women’s speed squad in United States ski team history failed to win a medal on Sunday in the downhill, an event it was favored to dominate at the Alpine world championships. Despite missing their downhill star, Lindsey Vonn, who is out for the season because of a knee injury, the American women have collectively earned 12 top-three finishes in the nine speed events this season. But Marion Rolland of France raced to victory under a clear sky on the 1.9-mile Streicher course, in 1 minute 50 seconds. Nadia Fanchini of Italy took second, 0.16 of a second behind, and Maria Höfl-Riesch of Germany, Friday’s super-combined winner, took third in 1:50.70. Julia Mancuso was the top American, placing fifth. Undoubtedly, Vonn’s absence presented an opening for others. “Of course there was a huge opportunity in downhill because Lindsey is definitely a dominating force there,” Mancuso said after the race. “I’m sure she would have done incredible if she was racing today.” Rolland’s best result in the event this season had been a fourth-place finish in January in Cortina, Italy. She had only been on the podium two times before Sunday. “Since I was a child, I wanted to be a champion,” Rolland said. “If you believe in your dreams, you will reach them one day.” All four American competitors finished in the top 20, the best collective team result of the race, but the United States team seemed dissatisfied with the outcome. The team’s skiing did not reflect its motto: best in the world. “We’re striving for podiums right now,” said Chip White, the speed coach for the United States women’s ski team. “So in that case, we’re a little disappointed. The girls are a little disappointed.” The American women had been unstoppable this season, with six wins in nine speed races; with four skiers, including Vonn, in the top 10 of the World Cup downhill standings; and with five of the six racers on the speed squad having reached the podium. Three women — Alice McKennis, Leanne Smith and Stacey Cook — claimed the first top-three finishes of their careers. “The cards didn’t fall the way we wanted them to,” White said of the race. “But we’re still contenders for a globe in downhill.” Cook, who placed sixth Sunday, is second in the World Cup downhill standings, behind Vonn. Victory was a surprise for Rolland. After the race, she said she had been struggling this season to stay confident. But she had been successful on this hill. At last year’s World Cup finals, Rolland earned a second-place finish in the downhill behind Vonn, who won by nearly a second, and a third in the super-G. Even Rolland said she expected big things from the Americans. Just a few weeks ago, after a super-G in Cortina in which she was disqualified, Rolland said: “They are really amazing. Every year that there is a big event, the world championships or the Olympics, they are always ready. When Lindsey’s not here on the podium, there’s always another American girl.” Instead, it was Rolland who skied a fast, clean and solid line down a course racers described as icy, unforgiving and difficult to maintain speed on. Where others lost time in the middle flat section of the track, Rolland held on to her blistering pace. Smith, who placed 12th, said, “Today, we didn’t get anyone on the podium, but that won’t be the case for the rest of the season.” If the success of the United States women’s speed team this season is any indication, Smith is probably right. |