Fenninger adds super-G title to Olympic gold medal
BEAVER CREEK, Colo. — Anna Fenninger was barely across the finish line when she looked up and saw “new leader” flash across the video board.
In her excitement, she dropped to the ground and buried her face in the snow. This may have been Lindsey Vonn’s party, but the Austrian stole the show.
Fenninger added a world championship super-G title to her Olympic gold medal, winning the event in Vonn’s backyard Tuesday on a shortened course because of blustery conditions.
Finding the perfect line, Fenninger finished in 1 minute, 10.29 seconds to top Tina Maze of Slovenia by 0.03 seconds. Vonn wound up third, 0.15 seconds back despite a wind gust standing her up early in her run.
“It was an amazing emotion,” Fenninger said. “I cannot say what this means.”
Fenninger understands the pressure Vonn is under racing on home snow. She felt it, too, at the 2013 world championships in Schladming, Austria.
Valerie Grenier of Mont-Tremblant, Que., was 19th and Larisa Yurkiw of Owen Sound, Ont., was 28th.
Vonn, the favourite in a race near her hometown of Vail, momentarily held the lead and the capacity crowd went wild, ringing cowbells and holding up homemade signs.
Her boyfriend, golfer Tiger Woods, saw Vonn’s name topping the leaderboard and instantly yelled out, “Yes!”
It didn’t last long, though. Maze was the next skier down and took over the top spot, silencing the crowd.
Three racers later, it was Fenninger on top, ending Maze’s reign as world champion. Fenninger also won the event at the 2014 Sochi Games.
Fenninger is on quite a run, capturing the overall World Cup title a year ago.