Women's Super G
In beautiful winter weather, Italy's Isolde "Isi" Kostner became the first women to win two races this winter as she captured the second super G of the season held on Val d'Isère's fast "G" course.

	Kostner

The skier from Val Gardena, in Northeastern Italy, beat Germany's Hilde Gerg, who took 2nd twice at Lake Louise, Canada earlier this season, by 7/100 of a second. Sweden's Pernilla Wiberg reached her first podium this season, coming in 3rd at 33/100.

The Austrian team, which dominated that event last season, once again missed the podium. Renate Goetschl was 4th ahead of Brigitte Obermoser while Michaela Dorfmeister, so consistent in super G last winter, had to settle for 11th. No US skier scored points this time. Jonna Mendes was the highest-placing American in 38th, 2.40 over the winner.

"It was tough, but I was looking forward to do the race. I was happy that the course would be a fast and open one with large curves, which favors my style...." — Isolde Kostner (ITA)

It's been a strong season start for Isi. After slow starts over the past two years, Kostner wanted to take charge of her skiing life and hoped to regain the form that won her two world titles in super G in Sierra Nevada, Spain and Sestriere, Italy last year. It seems to have paid off. This is her second win of the season today and she took over the overall lead in the women's World Cup standings. In Lake Louise, she won the first downhill of the season's tough World Cup program. The solid Italian was ready to race after she knew that the Italian course setter had designed a demanding run on the narrow "G" course used for the women.

"I was up at 6am and there were still some stars in the sky," she said after the race. "It was tough, but I was looking forward to doing the race," Kostner added. "I was happy the course would be a fast and open one with large curves, which favors my style."

The Italian has been struggling over the past two years in super G and has failed to live up to her brilliant downhill performance in Lillehammer in 1994. She was 18 years old then and her time was beat only by Katja Seizinger (GER) and Picabo Street (USA). Now 24, she wants to make another breakthrough this winter and said she made some decisions this past spring to improve her skiing.

"It's true, in the last two years things didn't go so well after a fine start. I had problems with my equipment, my form and my mental attitude. I was often tired in December after returning from North America and I had to wait until January to find my best shape," explained the smiling Italian. "I got worried about that, so I had to make some decisions with my career. I needed that change and I feel more in charge now," she added.

Kostner, a tough and aggressive athlete who enjoyed playing hockey with the boys when she was a child, is driven by a very strong will and a great determination.

She kept skiing until May last season to test her new equipment and to improve her technique. She then had difficult discussions with her ski federation to receive the exclusive support of one of the Italian trainers who had just gotten fired, replaced by a new head coach for the national team.

"We had some tough exchanges of words but finally I was able to convince them," Kostner commented.

A hard summer of training with this exclusive personal trainer, Valerio Ghirardi, who was totally devoted to seems to have paid off. She also said her changes in technical, as well as physical, preparation have helped her.

"Now I feel stronger and have more energy, even though I haven't gained weight," she said. "I have scored some great results in giant slalom and this has been a boost for my morale, too. I believed since last summer that it could be an excellent season, but I don't dare to speak out about the Overall World Cup now. It's way too early but it's fun to be among the favorites. My best results usually come in January and February."

In fact, all her previous World Cup wins prior to this year were in January and her world titles and Olympic medals were in February. But in Nagano in 1998 and at Vail last February, Kostner was not able to clinch her usual medal, a huge disappointment for this proud champion.

Trailing her was Hilde Gerg (GER), who had a surprise win on the slalom in the 1998 Olympics. "Now I have been second in three races but only by a few hundredths, maybe next time," Gerg said after the race. "You need luck sometimes to win but I want to remain positive and just be happy about twice being on the podium," she added.

"The level in women's ski racing is very high right now; there is nobody who dominates, really. The season is very long this winter and we have to wait until the end of January to see who among us has a real chance to win the World Cup. It's a big goal for me, but I have to improve my form in the technical specialties to have a serious shot for the Cup," said Gerg.

	Hilde Gerg

Gerg is also concerned about 17-year-old Croatian Janica Kostelic, who won the slalom in Serre Chevalier last Sunday and is just behind Kostner and ahead of Gerg in the overall standings. "She is getting better in the downhill and the super G," Gerg said. "She impressed me in the slalom last Sunday." Kostelic finished 15th on Wednesday but still remains the only skier to score in all four disciplines this winter.

Kostner now has 310 points for the season after eight races. Kostelic is next with 302 with Renate Goetschl of Austria third with 287, ahead of Gerg who has 256.

Behind Jonna Mendes, two other Americans finished the race: Caroline Lalive, who took 42nd and Kristen Clark, who placed 43rd. Sarah Schleper was 48th.

The women have a giant slalom scheduled Thursday before the men take over the neighboring slope for the classic downhill on Saturday and a giant slalom on Sunday. The top favorite is Austria's veteran Anita Wachter, 2nd in Serre Chevalier on Saturday and 3rd here last year.

— Patrick Lang, MountainZone.com World Cup Correspondent