Vonn Looks for Record in Bad Kleinkirchheim

By U.S. Ski & Snowboard

January, 9 2015

BAD KLEINKIRCHHEIM, Austria (Jan. 9, 2014) - The women have landed in Bad Kleinkirchheim, Austria and with Lindsey Vonn's (Vail, CO) record hanging in wait, the excitement about the race is palpable. Although it has been an uphill battle, with lost baggage, sicknesses and flat light, the girls are battling their bad luck and looking for speed.

The Bad Kleinkirchheim downhill is not a feel-good course, with flat light and a lot of terrain changes and micro-terrain that racers can't see. The girls were unsuccessful during day one of training, with no American women cracking the top 30. But the girls stepped it up on Friday after getting used to the track. Lindsey Vonn took third in the second training run—behind two girls that missed gates on the course—proving that her sickness isn't phasing her. Alice McKennis (Glenwood Springs, CO) took ninth, and will be running bullet in Saturday's downhill, with Laurenne Ross (Bend, OR) and Julia Mancuso (Squaw Valley, CA) cracking the top 30 in 13th and 25th respectively.

Vonn collected her 61st win in Val d'Isere, France, which puts her in the hot seat for tying Annemarie Moser-Prll's record for 62 wins in Bad Kleinkirchheim. But the cards are stacked against Vonn, who is battling an illness many girls contracted while training in Beaver Creek, CO last week. She is on the tail end of the illness, making it hard for them to breathe. In addition to being sick, Vonn also lost her baggage while traveling to Austria, which included her suit, helmet and back protector. But the bag finally arrived, hopefully turning her luck around. "I knew what I had to do to ski better today," said Vonn. "I don't have a lot of energy right now, but I think if I rest well, I should be ready for tomorrow."

Apart from Vonn, McKennis, Ross and Mancuso, Stacey Cook (Mammoth Mountain, CA)—who is also battling the same sickness as Vonn—Jackie Wiles (Aurora, OR), Julia Ford (Plymouth, NH), and Katie Ryan (Aspen, CO) will be racing the downhill.

QUOTES
Lindsey Vonn
I knew what I had to do to ski better today. It's definitely hard on my knee with all of the bumps, but so far it's doing OK. It's mostly my energy. I don't have a lot of energy right now, but I think if I rest well, I should be ready for tomorrow.

I hope to be on the podium. I haven't had very much luck here, something has always gone wrong—I don't have my bags, or I'm sick, or whatever. So hopefully this weekend will be better. If I can be on the podium I would be very happy. The whole way down is important. For sure, everyone will make a mistake, but if you make the least amount of mistakes, you will win.

I had a lot more speed [on Friday] than [Thursday], when I was pretty much sideslipping the course. I think the top part was good. I feel confident in the line I'm skiing. As long as I have a bit more energy, I should be good. Halfway down the course, I kind of stumped out. Hopefully it will be better tomorrow.

I talked with Franz Klammer today, who is here at the race, about being sick. He said, "Yeah, it's kind of important to be able to breathe on this course," which is funny. My dad is coming and always raved about Klammer. He always though Klammer was the "cat's meow."

RESULTS
Training results, run one
Training results, run two

Breakpoints

Vonn Looks for Record in Bad Kleinkirchheim

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