Aspen – Olympic giant slalom champion Julia Mancuso didn’t make the podium here Saturday in the lap of luxury and Colorado chic, but all things considered, she was pretty happy with her visit.
Despite ongoing issues with her surgically repaired right hip, she managed a solid seventh-place finish in the season’s first World Cup GS. Aspen’s other charms, she adores.
“The stands were full, everyone is cheering, I couldn’t ask for a better place,” Mancuso said. “The shopping, food … I went to sushi (Friday) night and made friends with the sushi chef, he’s throwing fish at us. I bought a new dress and I had a good race today. Got a little prize money, I’ll probably go spend it.”
Yes, a fun-loving 22-year-old can have a pretty good time with an extra $1,400 in her pocket, even here.
Kathrin Zettel, 20, brought more distinction to the remarkable Austrian assembly line of alpine racers by capturing her first World Cup victory.
“My biggest goal was to win a race this year, and it happened,” said Zettel, who had seven podiums last season, her first on the World Cup.
Finland’s Tanja Poutiainen, who finished .67 of a second behind Mancuso to take the silver medal at the Turin Games, was second Saturday and Austrian Michaela Kirchgasser was third.
Mancuso was more than three seconds behind Zettel, but she was satisfied considering her hip. The surgery and rehab limited her summer training.
“I definitely could use a few more miles on skis, but I feel like I know how to make a good turn,” Mancuso said. “It’s just a matter of putting it all together. It’s more rhythm (than fitness), just getting up to race pace.”
Giant slalom is a bit of a conundrum for talented Americans Lindsey Kildow and Resi Stiegler, who excel in other events. Kildow seemed to be skiing well on the first run until she went too straight and went out.
“I was just going for it,” said Kildow, a speed specialist who skis well in slalom, making her a threat in the combined. “There was a rhythm change and I wasn’t staying ahead of it enough. But I’m really psyched, I was skiing well, I had a good split time, so that’s positive.”
Stiegler started 62nd, finished 30th in the first run to claim the last qualifying spot in the second run, took advantage of starting first in the afternoon session and finished 20th, a career best in GS.
“I haven’t been skiing that well in GS,” Stiegler, 21, said. “I was starting 62nd and I was pretty much happy to put down a good run with the way I was skiing.”
Both racers are perplexed by their struggles in GS, widely considering the foundation on which success in other disciplines is built. Kildow has two career top-20 results in GS, versus 12 podiums in downhill and super-G. She has five top-10s in slalom.
“It should be the base for everything, and for some reason I can do everything but GS,” Kildow said. “It’s something I have to work on, I guess.”
Stiegler has had six top 10s in slalom and one in combined.
“Slalom has always been my best event and I love speed (downhill and super-G), but when you spread yourself out a little too thin you forget to go back to the basics,” Stiegler said. “I sit there and I’m like, ‘OK, I’m good at every other event, why can’t I be good at GS?”‘
U.S. alpine director Jesse Hunt believes she will.
“Resi and Lindsey have skied fast giant slaloms but they’re making mistakes here and there, which is why they don’t feel like they’re making progress,” Hunt said. “For them it’s more (about) building some confidence. They can both be good in giant slalom.”
