SPINDLERUV MLYN, Czech Republic — Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany won the penultimate women’s World Cup giant slalom of the season, while Vail’s Lindsey Vonn narrowed the overall World Cup lead of Maria Riesch.
It was the third career victory for Rebensburg, who finished with a combined time of 2 minutes, 15.22 seconds and moved to the top of the discipline standings.
Denise Karbon of Italy was second, 1.26 seconds behind and three-time overall defending champion Vonn was 1.45 back in third for her first GS podium.
Vonn produced her best giant slalom result at the right time to reduce the overall World Cup lead of her major rival and friend Riesch from 96 to 38 points. There are five races remaining.
“I’ve been trying my whole career to get to top three in a giant slalom. It means a lot to me. It feels amazing,” Vonn said. “It couldn’t be at a better time.”
The previous best GS result for Vonn was a fourth place at Aspen in 2008.
After placing eighth in the first run, Vonn was cruising down the course in the second, clocking the second-best time of 1:09.04 for a combined 2:16.67.
Riesch lost her balance and almost missed a gate halfway through the second run before she returned to finish the race in 29th place. The German got two points while Vonn collected 60.
A slalom is scheduled for today.
Feuz captures first World Cup victory
KVITFJELL, Norway — Swiss skier Beat Feuz barreled down the Olympiabakken course in 1:47.39 to earn his first World Cup victory, beating favorites Didier Cuche and Erik Guay in the downhill.
“After two years out with a serious (knee) injury, this is a dream come true,” Feuz said. “But as a former junior world champion, I always though I’d get here.”
Canadian world champion Guay finished second, 0.05 seconds behind, and Michael Walchhofer of Austria was third, 0.11 back. Cuche, the defending World Cup downhill champion and the current leader in the discipline, was fifth.
Steven Nyman was the top American, finishing 25th in 1:48.95. The downhill was a makeup event for a race in December that was canceled because of strong wind and fog in Beaver Creek.
Willett shreds way to slopestyle title
STRATTON, Vt. — Eric Willett of Frisco beat Mark McMorris 90.40-87.80, slogging through the slushy, shrouded Stratton Mountain course in rain and fog to capture the men’s slopestyle title at the U.S. Open Snowboarding Championships.
“The rain wasn’t too bad. It actually sped things up a bit,” Willett said. “It was the fog and the bumps in between everything that was hard to handle.”
Finland’s Enni Rukajarvi beat American Jamie Anderson to win the women’s title.
