Finland's Tanja Poutiainen snuck past Austria's Kathrin Zettel by a mere one-one-hundredth of a second to earn the victory in the opening World Cup Giant Slalom of the season Saturday in Soelden, Austria, while first run leader, Denise Karbon of Italy finished in third. The win marked the first time that the Finn has climbed to the top step of the podium in Soelden.
For the American contingent, Vail's Lindsey Vonn was the top finisher in ninth position, while Sarah Schleper also earned World Cup points for her 24th place showing. Julia Mancuso, the reigning Olympic Giant Slalom champion, was the only other U.S. Ski Team member to qualify for the second run, but she exited the course midway down the Rettenbach Glacier.
Representatives of the Beaver Creek/Vail 2015 FIS World Championships bid committee were in Soelden to lobby for the Vail Valley's effort to host a third World Championships as Ceil Folz, president of the Vail Valley Foundation; John Garnsey, co-president of Vail Resorts Mountain Division and Erik Borgen, VVF board member, watched the opening race of this Olympic season.
The men take their turn at Giant Slalom on the Rettenbach on Sunday, with 2006 Olympic Com bined champ Ted Ligety leading the U.S. charge. Ligety has had recent success in Soelden, finishing third last winter and second in the 2007 GS.
Although he has been in Europe training, Bode Miller, who rejoined the U.S. Ski Team earlier this month, will not be on the start list on Sunday.
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