The tide turned once again in the favor of the World Cup's top racers in Haus im Ennstal, Austria, on Friday. Those whose confidence was falling have a renewed sense of speed and success.

Following a string of bad luck in the last three technical races, Lindsey Vonn was back on her game Friday, winning the downhill in 1 minute, 38.34 seconds while wearing a brace to protect her left arm, injured in a giant slalom crash on Dec. 28 in Lienz.

In her first podium since February of last year, Anja Paerson proved that she is still a contender, finishing second, .35 seconds behind Vonn. Maria Riesch, who landed the first World Cup victory of her career in Haus im Ennstal during the last World Cup here in 2004 and also won the super G on the same slope two days later, was third Friday, .39 seconds back.

"I needed this win today to get my confidence back on track and to feel like I could ski well again," said Vonn, who has now won all three Cup downhills this season in addition to last season's DH finals in Are and also regained the World Cup overall lead, with 694 points to Riesch's 659.

"I'm just thankful that it doesn't hurt as badly in downhill as it does in slalom," Vonn said of her arm. "Hopefully this self confidence will transfer over into the technical events, too."

For Paerson, her slump over the last few months wasn't so much related to self-confidence as it was to the ever-changing intricacies of ski racing and the pressure of people watching her.

"For myself, I always know what I can do, but it's 100,000 people who really want to know why I'm not winning races," Paerson said. "The only thing I know is that I'm 100 percent and sometimes just half a decimeter is on the wrong side and then you don't win the races. Hopefully I can gain on it with this podium. I've been on the circuit for a long time and you really have to be humble to everything and you really have to be on point the whole time. I know if I work really hard it will come back to me. I know I can get through the hard times and come back strong."

Riesch said the course wasn't exactly the same but similar to the one she won on in 2004, but also said the track felt entirely different Friday after the snowstorm that slowed the course significantly for the first half of the race field in Thursday's training. With another downhill Saturday and a super G Sunday, Riesch said the secret to success at Haus im Ennstal is to simply not let up throughout the course, which is one of the flattest and slowest on the women's downhill circuit.

"This course is not so difficult, but it's difficult to be fast," Riesch said. "You need to take speed everywhere, wherever you can. Every little mistake is costing lots of time, so it's hard to make the run without mistakes and with good time. But I'm happy with my podium today. Tomorrow is another day and another race."

Spirits were lifted for members of the French team in Friday's race, too ... specifically for Marion Rolland, whose fifth place was the best result of her World Cup career (she was also fifth in last season's world championship downhill in Val d'Isere) and for Marie Marchand-Arvier, who was jarred by a crash at the last World Cup speed stop in Val d'Isere.

"I'm happy but I want to be on the podium," Rolland said. "For me, it's one of the big races of the season. [Toward] the Olympic Games, it's step by step."

For Marchand-Arvier, who won a silver medal in the world championship super G last season, the results aren't as important as building back a sense of comfort on the race course after her crash.

"I don't really care about the final results. I'm happy to be back here," she said. "Maybe my crash [taught] me some stuff. I will think in a postiive way and be better than before my crash, but I just want to be patient and take my time."

by Shauna Farnell / SkiRacing.com
FISalpine.com
Friday 8 January 2010