GAP 2011. GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany – It really came down to the wire in the 2011 world championship ladies super-combined race in Garmisch-Partenkirchen on Friday and the girl who put it all together for what she said was the best day of her life was 21-year-old Anna Fenninger of Austria.

Anna Fenninger of Austria skis in the slalom on her way to winning the Women's Super Combined during the Alpine FIS Ski World Championships on the Gudiberg course on February 11, 2011 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. (February 10, 2011 - Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images Europe)

The three-time world junior champion has reached a new level this season on the World Cup, landing her first ever podium in downhill in Zauchensee and following up with the second of her Cup career in super G in Cortina. She had never won a race on the big stage, however, until Friday, making it bigger than she’d ever imagined. She won with a combined time of 2 minutes, 43.23 seconds.

“No, I did not think that my first win [as] an adult could be this,” said Fenninger, who collapsed in glee when she crossed the finish line of the slalom with the lead time. “It was unbelievable today. I was just cool in the morning in the downhill, and also tired because the downhill trainings were very strong for us. I was in the [slalom] start and I thought, ‘OK. Just do what you do in training. Be cool and go easy.’ And yeah, I did that. It was a perfect day for me … the best day of my life.”

Tina Maze, who has leapt several obstacles this season, changing her service man and going home to Slovenia to get an injection to relieve the pain in her hamstring muscle after last weekend’s World Cup slalom in Zwiesel, persevered through the long Kandahar downhill and then the slushy slalom at Gudiberg to land another silver medal – her first ever podium in super-combined – finishing just 0.09 seconds away from the gold.

“I had a few tough moments this season,” Maze said. “I had some problems with my health, I went home from Zwiesel to get some medical support. We resolved some things. I don’t ski with pain now. I had to change my [service man] in the middle of the season. It’s not easy to do that, especially if you do four disciplines and have no time for training, but we did it good and now I’m really happy about it. The new guy has a heart for it. It’s nice to be at the start and be nervous and to see him nervous. It is good energy. [This medal] is really important because it is my first podium in super-combined.”

Anja Paerson, who has spent the whole season priming herself for these world championships, earned the 11th world championship medal of her decorated career, skiing to bronze, 0.27 seconds off the winning time.

Following her 10th place in Tuesday’s world championship super G, Paerson said she had to “make friends” with the Kandahar slope, which was smoother and easier to carve for the downhill portion of Friday’s super-combined.

“I made friends with the weather Gods,” Paerson said. “It really took that crust away from the ice and I started feeling comfortable again, especially in the top section. I could bring my speed on.”

Paerson added that in general, the long downhill paired with the wet and heavy slalom course after several days of sun and 12-plus temperatures took every last drop of her power.

“It’s really, really tough when it’s this warm,” she said. “I mean a 1 minute 50 [long] combined downhill is … not normal in a way. You knew it was going to be tiring, especially in the lower part, you’re so tired you’re pushing with everything you can. I’m happy I managed to pull through.”

As far as being somewhere “between heaven and hell,” super G champion Elisabeth Goergl was looking a whole lot closer to heaven again, leading the downhill portion of Friday’s race, followed very closely by Dominique Gisin, 0.26 seconds back, and Paerson, 0.27 seconds back. Gisin, a speed specialist, had a decent slalom run but finished just out of the medals in fourth, 0.67 seconds back and Goergl also couldn’t hang onto medal-caliber speed on the Gudiberg slope, ending up fifth, 0.89 seconds off the winning time.

Racers said the Kandahar slope wasn’t nearly as icy or bumpy as it had been in the super G and downhill trainings, although the output of energy required of it was evidenced by the several racers who fell after they crossed the finish line.

“It’s a very exhausting downhill,” said France’s Marie Marchand-Arvier, who crashed and slid at high speed into the inflatable barrier at the finish area, slicing up her face. Also a speed specialist, she ended up 15th in the race. “We are so tired and it’s a small area, so it’s not easy to get to zero kilometers.”

Another woman who was worn out on Friday was Olympic super-combined champion Maria Riesch. Coming down with the flu Wednesday morning, Riesch skied off-course in the first downhill training and skipped Thursday’s training altogether, sick in bed all day. On Friday, she had no fever but still felt very weak coming into the race. She stood up out of her tuck for the final leg of the downhill run and ended up 11th in the race.

“Overall, I had to pull myself together,” Riesch said between runs on Friday. “ But it is the home World Championship so it is clear that I will try.”

Lindsey Vonn, also feeling less than optimal following last week’s training crash that resulted in a concussion, chose to do the downhill portion of Friday’s race, in which she finished 12th, 1.60 seconds behind Goergl. She finished in the back of the pack in Thursday’s downhill training, wearing full outerwear over her race suit.

“I felt better today and I decided to do the downhill. I lost focus about three quarters down – it wasn’t as bad as in the super G, but I’m not 100 percent yet. The reaction isn’t there. It’s like skiing in a fog. Things just come at me,” Vonn said, adding that Sunday’s downhill will probably be the last race of her championships and she most likely won’t compete in the giant slalom or slalom events. “It’s just a matter of getting the rest I need and getting ready for the race on Sunday. At least now I’ve skied the run in my downhill suit. I know the speed. I know the track. It’s just a matter of being able to focus from top to bottom. That’s all that’s missing right now.”

Lara Gut, who took silver in the 2009 world champs super-combined and was in fourth place, just 0.40 seconds out after the downhill run Friday, was blazing down the Gudiberg in the lead when she hooked the front of her skis on a pole at the beginning of a flush and did a full front flip, landing on her head and tumbling down the course. Though she got up and skied down waving, apparently with no major injuries, she left immediately to be examined by doctors.

Also on the Swiss team, Denise Feierabend, who won junior world championship slalom gold here in Garmisch-Partenkirchen had an excellent race. Not a speed specialist, she was seventh in the downhill run and ended up sixth, 1.28 seconds off the winning time. Olympic super-combined silver medalist Julia Mancuso ended up seventh Friday, 1.33 seconds out while speed specialists Johanna Schnarf of Italy and Marusa Ferk of Slovenia also managed the tight gates quite well, finishing eighth and ninth, respectively. Fresh off of her success last week in Crans Montana and after leading Thursday’s downhill training, junior world downhill champion Lotte Smiseth Sejersted of Norway put down her top world-class level performance Friday, finishing 10th.

by Shauna Farnell
FISalpine.com
Friday 11 February 2011

Tina Maze of Slovenia skis on her way to finishing second in the Women's Super Combined during the Alpine FIS Ski World Championships on the Gudiberg course on February 11, 2011 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. (February 10, 2011 - Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images Europe)

Anja Paerson of Sweden skis on her way to finishing third in the Women's Super Combined during the Alpine FIS Ski World Championships on the Gudiberg course on February 11, 2011 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. (February 10, 2011 - Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images Europe)

(L-R) Tina Maze of Slovenia takes the silver medal, Anna Fenninger of Austria takes the gold medal, and Anja Paerson of Sweden takes the bronze medal during the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships Women's Super Combined on February 11, 2011 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. (February 10, 2011 - Photo by Christophe Pallot/Agence Zoom/Getty Images Europe)

Elisabeth Goergl of Austria during the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships Women's Super Combined on February 11, 2011 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. (February 10, 2011 - Photo by Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images Europe)

Maria Riesch of Germany skis in the Women's Super Combined Slalom during the Alpine FIS Ski World Championships on the Gudiberg course on February 11, 2011 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. (February 10, 2011 - Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images Europe)

Lara Gut of Switzerland skis in the Women's Super Combined Slalom during the Alpine FIS Ski World Championships on the Gudiberg course on February 11, 2011 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. (February 10, 2011 - Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images Europe)

Tina Maze of Slovenia takes the silver medal competes during the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships Women's Super Combined on February 11, 2011 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. (February 10, 2011 - Photo by Christophe Pallot/Agence Zoom/Getty Images Europe)

Anja Paerson of Sweden takes 3rd place during the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships Women's Super Combined on February 11, 2011 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. (February 10, 2011 - Photo by Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images Europe)

Anna Fenninger of Austria celebrates at the medal plaza after winning the Women's Super Combined during the Alpine FIS Ski World Championships on February 11, 2011 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. (February 10, 2011 - Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images Europe)