GAP 2011. GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany – As far as being somewhere “between heaven and hell,” Elisabeth Goergl is definitely a lot closer to heaven, landing her second world championship gold medal this week in the women’s downhill on Sunday.

Following last Tuesday’s super G victory, which was the first gold medal of her long, successful ski racing career, and with the official 2011 Garmisch World Champs song featuring her singing (“You’re the hero; Between Heaven and Hell”) again blaring on the loud speakers, the 29-year-old Austrian was the 16th racer down the softened Kandahar course.

She built speed from top to bottom and when she crossed the finish line nearly a second ahead of then-leader Lara Gut, she stared for several seconds at the scoreboard, with her hands out in disbelief.

“I couldn’t believe it because I had a very attacking line and in some parts I was really low and almost didn’t make it to the next gate. But I kept the speed, which was good … and obviously this was the fastest line. I just didn’t have a mistake today. It’s amazing,” Goergl said, adding that she listened to her song about 10 times before the race.

“I listened to it a lot,” she said. “It really pushed me and really motivated me.”

She admitted that heaven did indeed feel close by but as nice as that is, she is someone who likes to keep her feet on the ground.

“The only thing I do is just love to ski,” she said. “I think I’m closer to heaven right now, but you know what, I like to be balanced on the ground. I just enjoy it and do my thing.”

Lindsey Vonn managed to fight through her ailments – a concussion sustained in a training crash about 10 days ago – and pulled through for the silver medal, finishing 0.44 seconds behind Goergl.

“I’m extremely happy with the silver medal today,” Vonn said. “It’s been a hard road, I’ve been trying to fight through this injury. It’s hasn’t been easy, but I think I skied more like myself today. It still isn’t perfect, but it was good enough for a silver. I’ve been doing everything I can to get ready for today. I was able to focus pretty clearly for most of the way. I know my skiing is there. I really have to say that Lizzie Goergl skied incredibly well today, also in the super-combined downhill and super G. she has just had an amazing world championships and I’m really happy for her. Second place feels like gold to me.”

Maria Riesch, also not at her best after coming down with a flu that kept her from doing the downhill training runs last week and in bed for two days, also battled against the circumstances and brought the volume from her local crowd in Garmisch to a roar when she landed her second bronze medal of the week, finishing 0.60 seconds off of the winning time

“Of course a flu is not going away from one day to the other,” said Riesch, coughing, but still smiling big. “But when you start at a world championships and win a medal, you shouldn’t talk to much about how bad you’re feeling. All the pressure is gone after the development of the last days. I didn’t really calculate this medal in the downhill. I [will] try to get healthy quickly and focus and concentrate on the tech events.”

And will there be a big party at the German house tonight?

“A little one,” Riesch said. “But not too big because I need to get healthy, of course.”

Vonn said she will make a last-minute decision as to whether she will compete in the remaining events at the 2011 world championships or rest up and prepare for the remainder of the World Cup season.

Austrian women’s head coach Herbert Mandl was wearing a look of sheer pride after the race, with his team now having won gold in every discipline so far this world champs.

“I really congratulate Liz today but it’s good teamwork from our team and staff,” Mandl said. “I congratulate the whole coaching staff and team. Especially in speed disciplines, everything has to work together and it’s not easy to do. It’s amazing, of course. All disciplines winning gold … it’s exceptional. We’re looking forward to the tech events.”

Lara Gut, who has had a bit of bad luck this world championships, finished fourth on Sunday, 0.94 seconds behind Goergl’s winning time. She also finished just out of the medals – fourth again – in last week’s super G and was on her way to what could very well have been a medal-winning race, leading the field and approaching the finish line of the slalom in Friday’s super-combined when she hooked a gate and crashed, going head over heels.

“I still feel a little pain from my fall. But I will rest for a day and try to get healthy,” Gut said after the downhill.

Following her silver medal-winning performance in Friday’s super-combined, Tina Maze, wearing bib No. 29, skied to fifth place on Sunday, 0.98 seconds back. Julia Mancuso, who said the softer conditions didn’t suit her as much as the ice on which she took silver in last week’s super G, was sixth, 1.06 seconds back. Italy’s Daniela Merighetti was seventh, 1.42 seconds back and Dominique Gisin eighth, 1.46 seconds back.

“I just didn’t ski the bottom part that well,” Gisin said, disappointed in her championships, finishing just out of the medals with fourth in the super combined and missing a gate for a DNF in the super G. “The course was good today. It wasn’t so soft. I just could have been faster at the bottom. It’s the same as always for me at [big events]. I guess I’ll have to wait for the next one.”

Andrea Fischbacher, bouncing back to speed following a rather hideous crash in the world champs super G, was ninth, 1.62 seconds back. She said the pain from her crash wasn’t affecting her skiing.

“I feel a little pain but I don’t feel it when I’m driving my skis,” she said.

Laurenne Ross had the best race of her top-level skiing career on Sunday in 10th, 1.63 seconds back.

The 2011 world championships at Garmisch-Partenkirchen continue on Monday with men’s super-combined.

by Shauna Farnell
FISalpine.com
Sunday 13 February 2011