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The race was won by Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein in one
minute 40.94 seconds, 0.51 ahead of Fenninger with Maze in
third, a further 0.40 adrift.
It was the first time in five races that the Austrian World Cup
holder had lost but the main thing was to finish ahead of the
2013 big globe winner as has repeatedly been the case in recent
weeks. “There is nothing like a fight like this to give you
motivation. You must never say never but its’ still going to be
a close decision,” Fenninger told reporters.
“Anna skis much too well right now. But I’ll keep fighting until
the end. This is a great chase,” Maze said.
Crowned giant slalom and Super-G world champion in Beaver Creek
last month, Fenninger is also a threat to Lindsey Vonn in the
downhill standings.
The American, bidding for a seventh crystal globe in the
discipline, finished sixth and now leads the Austrian by 39
points with one last downhill to be held at the World Cup finals
in Meribel at the end of the month. “It is quite a battle with
Lindsey as well but she’s very strong and I really can’t say how
it will turn out. I must also beware not to spend too much
energy,” Fenninger said.
"I really want to win the downhill World Cup. It would mean so
much to me after my two operations," Vonn added.
Sundays’ Super-G on the same Kandahar piste will be another
decisive race for the three leading protagonists of the women’s
World Cup, Vonn still hoping to lift the specialty’s title while
Maze cannot afford to lose more ground on Fenninger. “I’m OK.
I’ve trained all summer to be able to make a great show until
the Meribel finals,” Maze said.
(Writing by Fancois Thomazeau, editing by Ed Osmond)
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