MARIBOR, Slovenia — Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany overcame a huge mistake early in the final run Saturday and won her second consecutive women’s World Cup giant slalom.
The 2010 Olympic champion caught a bump and only made the next gate after firmly slowing down.
“The run was chaotic from top to bottom,” Rebensburg said. “At the fourth gate I was thinking, ‘OK, I can stop here.’ But I won the race. That’s the only thing that matters.”
Rebensburg finished with a two-run time of 2 minutes, 29.82 seconds to beat Ana Drev of Slovenia by 0.32 and Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein by 0.34.
It was Rebensburg’s 10th victory in giant slalom, matching the German best mark set by Martina Ertl-Renz from 1994-2003.
Lindsey Vonn didn’t finish her second run. After a fast start, the Vail star led then-leader Michaela Kirchgasser of Austria by 0.74 before losing balance and sliding into the safety netting.
Vonn, who was unhurt and promptly skied down to the finish area, stayed the overall leader as her primary rival, Lara Gut of Switzerland, also skied out in the final run. Vonn has 900 points and Gut has 855.
Vonn, who started 15th and came 2.45 back in 12th place in the opening run, called it “a shame.”
“Later starters have no chance at all,” said Vonn, the only starter who has won this race before — in 2013. “On the top the snow isn’t bad, on the bottom it’s like sugar.”
Kilde winner in men’s downhill•GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany — Aleksander Aamodt Kilde of Norway won a men’s World Cup downhill Saturday as a late starter for his first career victory.
Bostjan Kline of Slovenia appeared headed for his first triumph until Kilde, wearing bib No. 30, blazed down the Kandahar course to win by 0.22 seconds.
Results 17C
