 |
 |   |
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE |  |
1-2 Italian finish Putzer wins World Cup Super G for first career victory
Posted: Sunday December 19, 1999 01:09 PM
ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (AP) -- Italy's Karen Putzer was the disbelieving winner of a women's Super G race Sunday, collecting her first career World Cup victory and leading a 1-2 Italian finish. Putzer, who had reached the podium only once before, charged down the 1,990-meter Corviglia II course in 1 minute, 27.37 seconds, finishing ahead of teammate Alessandra Merlin, second in 1:27.53. Putzer, who does no race in the downhill and had shown particular skill in the giant slalom this season, stared dubiously at the jumbo scoreboard, shaking her head. "I actually thought I had a really bad run," said Putzer, who has finished second in a giant slalom in Copper Mountain this year and third in a Super G in Cortina in 1998. "I had a bad feeling and I didn't want to look at the clock. "When I looked up at the score board and saw `number 1' next to my name I thought it was something else, not my position," said Putzer, 21. "I can't believe I was first." Merlin, earning her first career podium finish, was just as incredulous. "It's unbelievable," laughed the 24-year-old Italian, whose previous best result was an eight place in a downhill in Lake Louise in 1998. "I'm so happy I can't believe it. "I knew I was skiing well yesterday so I really attacked today and had a really good run," added the Italian, who finished 11th in Saturday's downhill. Cavagnoud, a speed specialist who upset the form book when she stormed to victory in the giant slalom in Copper Mountain, was third, crossing in 1:27.60. "It was a great race for me," said Cavagnoud. "I attacked well. "The visibility was poor so you couldn't see very well but I still did well." Just as surprising as Putzer's win was the shutout of the field's elite skiers. Overall World Cup leader Isolde Kostner finished in 12th, 1.16 seconds back, while Hilde Gerg, runner-up in both previous Super G races, finished back in 14th, 1.32 adrift. Michaela Dorfmeister, runner-up in the World Cup Super G standings last year behind currently injured teammate Alexandra Meissnitzer, finished seventh, trailing by .69. Austrian speed specialist Renate Goetschl, the reigning World Cup downhill champion, was ninth in 1:28.13.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
