Women's Super G
Austrian Renate Goetschl celebrated her sixth World Cup victory this season in the women's super G race today. Goetschl beat Germany's Martina Ertl by 6/100 of a second and Slovenia's Mojca Suhadolc by 8/100.

	Goetschl in action

It was an exciting race for Suhadolc and Canada's Melanie Turgeon, who were still fighting for 2nd in the super G standings. For a long time, Suhadolc was ahead of Turgeon, of Quebec, but she lost a second place finish to Ertl. Suhadolc though was happy to become the first Slovenian skier to place in the top-3 in a World Cup speed event.

"To win the big World Cup was not part of my goals at the beginning of the season. I will wait until the moment I lift up the Cup to really understand what this victory means to me..." — Renate Goetschl (AUS)

Turgeon was just happy that this long season was over. Though hoping for a better result, Turgeon was proud to have accomplished almost all the goals she had set for herself this season.

With this sixteenth success of her career, Goetschl has also assured her first triumph in the Overall World Cup standings, becoming the sixth Austrian to win the big Crystal Globe, a year after her teammate, Alexandra Meissnitzer, who's been injured since last November, took the top spot.

Michaela Dorfmeister, the last possible rival for Goetschl, would have needed to win today today in order to remain in the battle for the Overall title, which is total World Cup points.

The rutted final part of Bormio's Stelvio course was the hardest for the racers today and many racers who had clocked great times mid-course were penalized at the bottom.

Goetschl skied the final part of the course beautifully.

"I was very relaxed before to start because I felt I had nothing to lose since I had already won the super G Cup," said the 25-year-old Austrian.

"I followed Hermann Maier's example and didn't attack too much at the top. But at the bottom, I still had enough energy in me to take more risks. I made an excellent run.

"I am very happy about this victory because I also won six races last year and it's a great way to finish the season after the tough time I went through at the beginning," Goetschl said.

"The course was very good, may be a little bit soft at the end, but I was concentrating well and I didn't make big mistakes. Last week I felt very tired, but I'm better now. I'm more relaxed, too, but I am looking forward to take some rest."

	Now she understands

"Winning the World Cup is a big moment for me. I have been always considered a potential winner of the general title, but I have never really believed in my chance until now. I was not strong enough in the technical events, but I have improved my level in the past months.

"Nevertheless, this victory is a little bit of a surprise for me. To win the big World Cup was not part of my goals at the beginning of the season. I will wait until the moment I lift up the Cup to really understand what this victory means to me.

"My preferred specialty remains the downhill even if was happy to also have achieved some good results in other events. I would like to win again a slalom and eventually also my first giant slalom," she added.

The next races in Bormio will be the giant slaloms on Saturday.

— Patrick Lang, MountainZone.com European Correspondent