OLYMPICS, ALPINE SKIING. WHISTLER, B.C. - Maria Riesch proved once again that she is the world's best slalom skier ... only this time it happened while most of the world was watching and she said it was the best day of her life.

Maria Riesch of Germany takes the Gold Medal during the Women's Alpine Skiing Slalom on Day 15 of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games on February 26, 2010 in Whistler Creekside, Canada. (February 1, 2009 - Photo by Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images North America)

The tall, graceful German tackled two tricky, sticky runs in Whistler Friday to close out the women's Olympic alpine races, coming out on top each time to win her second Olympic gold medal in a combined time of 1 minute, 42.89 seconds.

As large, wet snowflakes fell heavily out of the foggy sky and deep ruts formed in the course, bouncing several racers around in the second run, Marlies Schild hit another crescendo in her incredible comeback season with a silver medal, putting down the fastest second run time (51.92 seconds) and finishing 0.43 behind Riesch for the silver, her third Olympic medal (bronze in the Torino slalom and silver in the Torino combined).

Also, The Czech Republic's Sarka Zahrobska became the first athlete in history to put her country on the map in Olympic alpine racing, coming through with the bronze, 1.01 seconds off the winning pace.

"I just can't describe it ... how good it feels," said Riesch, who fell onto the backs of her skis laughing in the finish area when she saw that she'd won a second gold. "The speed events were not so good for me. In the GS, I was not really hoping for a medal. To win a gold medal in super-combined was good, I wasn't expecting that. After this, to win gold in slalom on purpose ... it's just incredible."

Schild, who wasn't sure she'd be able to truly compete when she started this season following 11 months off skis after breaking her leg in Soelden last season, was also thrilled to come back, focusing solely on slalom and showing herself and everyone else that she is still good enough not only to win World Cup races but also Olympic medals.

"It was really hard for me to come here and know that I had just one chance. To think that I have just one chance, just one race, that was really hard in the beginning," Schild said about coming into the Games. "It's a great thing to get a silver medal. I'm really happy with that, to get this after my injury."

It was clear in the second run - the final race of the women's Olympic alpine events - that none of the ladies were holding anything back.
Italian Denise Karbon came down fourth and shot nearly a second into the lead. Three racers later, her teammate Manuela Moelgg made the race more than a second faster.

Possibly the most astonishing result all day came from double bronze medalist Elisabeth Goergl, who came into these Games not even planning to race slalom - her weakest discipline. She shaved off another 0.34 seconds and nobody could catch her until French slalom specialist Sandrine Aubert, a whopping 15 racers later. Goergl ended up seventh and Aubert fifth. Goergl's run was the second fastest of the day, 0.04 seconds slower that Schild's.

Swede Marie Pietlilae-Holmner held her fast pace (fifth going into the second run) but ended up just out of the medals in fourth while Susanne Riesch, fourth coming into the final leg of the race, held her lead in spite of an early stumble in the second run, but straddled a gate coming into the homestretch. Clearly upset, she sat on the snow and covered her face.

The elder Riesch sister said the emotions of her family (both Mr. and Mrs. Riesch were there in the crowd) swung to both extremes - joy for her gold and sympathy for Susanne's abruptly quelled medal run.

"She was on her way to a medal. It's hard because it's the best day of my life but for her the whole world is breaking down," Maria Riesch said. "It's not easy. Maybe tonight we can go out for a beer. For her it's best to get this day [behind her] as soon as possible."

Although she ended her race much earlier than planned, straddling a gate in the first run, Riesch's best friend Lindsey Vonn stood in the snow waiting to congratulate her friend after the second run when Riesch won the gold medal.

"I'm so happy for her" said Vonn, who walked out of the finish area pausing for photos and signing autographs. "She did an amazing job and to come down after the first run and really ski as well as she did under these conditions was really cool to watch."

Most of the Olympic female alpine racers will return to Europe immediately to prepare for the final two weeks of the World Cup season.

Olympic alpine racing wraps up Saturday with men's slalom.

by Shauna Farnell
FISalpine.com
Saturday 27 February 2010

Riesch gets SL title, her 2nd Olympic gold

Germany's Maria Riesch accomplished another impressive performance today at Whistler Creek as she captured her second Olympic gold medal winning the slalom, the last women race of these 21st Olympics.

The 25-year-old Bavarian, reigning World Champion in the event since Val d'Isère, clocked the fastest time in the opening leg in the morning and successfully defended her lead in the afternoon despite difficult weather and course conditions.

She finished ahead of Austria's Marlies Schild, one of the best slalom skiers in the past years, while Sarka Zahrobska, from the Czech Republic came in 3rd. "I can't believe it, this is amazing, I didn't expect to ski so well in slalom here, it's fantastic," she said afterwards. "I have not been skiing as strong in slalom this season as last winter, so my goal was just any medal in that specialty," the skier from Garmisch-Partenkirchen added. "Luckily, my trainers didn't inform me that Suzanne had skied out during her run. It would have bothered me. I met her at the finish line and she was so sad to have skied out. It would have been wonderful being on the podium with her. It was our dream."

"It has definitely been a tough race, especially this afternoon. When I was at the start, I heard the Austrian coaches loudly celebrating the lead of Marlies Schild, so I knew I had to attack and achieve a great run to eventually beat here. Since I already had a gold medal in my pocket, I could really go for it again. To beat all the best slalom specialists who have been focusing on this competition is quite special. I felt more comfortable in downhill coming here so to win that slalom is huge. It's a very demanding specialty which requires great skills and perfect timing."

"The course was rough in the lower part and I fought hard to hang in there. I often skied outside the best line but I managed to regain momentum when it mattered. I did exactly what I had to do to reach the podium and I'm so happy I could make it."

"It's amazing that our team could win three events here during these Olympics. Luck was definitely on our side here during these Games. These were my first ever Olympics and I'm more than happy with my results here. I struggled in the first race, the downhill, but I found back my rhythm afterwards. Now I have to remain focused until the end of the season. I still have a good chance to clinch another slalom World Cup title and I stay in the hunt for the Overall Cup. I guess it will not be easy to keep fully concentrated next week at Crans-Montana and then at the Finals at home at Garmisch-Partenkirchen. I'll of course do my best and we'll see what comes out."

Riesch is the first German Olympic slalom champion since the great days of Rosi Mittermaier in 1976 and Hilde Gerg in 1998. The 5-foot-11 German skier from Garmisch-Partenkirchen now follows the glorious paths of Mittermaier and Katja Seizinger, who both became two-time Olympic champions. Mittermaier was racing for former 'West Germany' in 1776 when she paired her slalom gold with an Olympic downhill title and finished 2nd in giant slalom behind Canada's Kathy Kreiner, while Seizinger took gold medals in downhill and combined at the 1998 Nagano Games, after she had already clinched gold in downhill four years earlier in Lillehammer.

Bavarian star Riesch will aim for more triumphs next season at the 2011 Worlds in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

FISalpine.com
Saturday 27 February 2010

Maria Riesch of Germany competes during the Ladies Slalom second run on day 15 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at Whistler Creekside on February 26, 2010 in Whistler, Canada. (February 25, 2010 - Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images North America)

Marlies Schild of Austria takes the Silver Medal during the Women's Alpine Skiing Slalom on Day 15 of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games on February 26, 2010 in Whistler Creekside, Canada. (February 1, 2009 - Photo by Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images North America)

Sarka Zahrobska of Czech Republic competes during the Ladies Slalom first run on day 15 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at Whistler Creekside on February 26, 2010 in Whistler, Canada. (February 25, 2010 - Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images North America)

Maria Riesch of Germany takes the Gold Medal during the WomenÕs Alpine Skiing Slalom on Day 15 of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games on February 26, 2010 in Whistler Creekside, Canada. (February 25, 2010 - Photo by Francis Bompard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images North America)

Maria Riesch of Germany celebrates after winning the gold medal during the Ladies Slalom on day 15 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at Whistler Creekside on February 26, 2010 in Whistler, Canada. (February 25, 2010 - Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images North America)

Maria Riesch of Germany competes during the Ladies Slalom second run on day 15 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at Whistler Creekside on February 26, 2010 in Whistler, Canada. (February 25, 2010 - Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images North America)

Susanne Riesch of Germany competes during the Ladies Slalom first run on day 15 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at Whistler Creekside on February 26, 2010 in Whistler, Canada. (February 25, 2010 - Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images North America)

Sarka Zahrobska of the Czech Republic takes the Bronze Medal during the Women's Alpine Skiing Slalom on Day 15 of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games on February 26, 2010 in Whistler Creekside, Canada. (February 2, 2009 - Photo by Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images North America)

Lindsey Vonn of the USA looks on after missing a gate during the Ladies Slalom first run on day 15 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at Whistler Creekside on February 26, 2010 in Whistler, Canada. (February 25, 2010 - Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images North America)

Kathrin Zettel of Austria competes during the Ladies Slalom first run on day 15 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at Whistler Creekside on February 26, 2010 in Whistler, Canada. (February 25, 2010 - Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images North America)

Elisabeth Goergl of Austria competes during the Ladies Slalom second run on day 15 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at Whistler Creekside on February 26, 2010 in Whistler, Canada. (February 25, 2010 - Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images North America)

Sandrine Aubert of France during the Women's Alpine Skiing Slalom on Day 15 of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games on February 26, 2010 in Whistler Creekside, Canada. (February 1, 2009 - Photo by Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images North America)

Anja Paerson of Sweden competes during the Ladies Slalom first run on day 15 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at Whistler Creekside on February 26, 2010 in Whistler, Canada. (February 25, 2010 - Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images North America)

Tanja Poutiainen of Finland during the Women's Alpine Skiing Slalom on Day 15 of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games on February 26, 2010 in Whistler Creekside, Canada. (February 1, 2009 - Photo by Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images North America)

Sarah Schleper of the United States competes during the Ladies Slalom first run on day 15 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at Whistler Creekside on February 26, 2010 in Whistler, Canada. (February 25, 2010 - Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images North America)

Nicole Gius of Italy during the Women's Alpine Skiing Slalom on Day 15 of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games on February 26, 2010 in Whistler Creekside, Canada. (February 25, 2010 - Photo by Alain Grosclaude/Agence Zoom/Getty Images North America)

Jelena Lolovic of Serbia and Montenegro competes during the Ladies Slalom first run on day 15 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at Whistler Creekside on February 26, 2010 in Whistler, Canada. (February 25, 2010 - Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images North America)

Chirine Njeim of Lebanon competes during the Ladies Slalom second run on day 15 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at Whistler Creekside on February 26, 2010 in Whistler, Canada. (February 25, 2010 - Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images North America)

Marlies Schild (silver) of Austria, Maria Riesch (gold) of Germany and Sarka Zahrobska (bronze) of Czech Republic celebrate after the conclusion of the Ladies Slalom on day 15 of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at Whistler Creekside on February 26, 2010 in Whistler, Canada. (February 25, 2010 - Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images North America)