Men's SG Postponed; Cavagnoud Wins Women's SG Title

Are, Sweden March 9, 2001 (AP by Stephan Nasstrom)–Hermann Maier will have to wait one more day before he gets another chance to tie one of alpine skiing’s most remarkable records.

The Herminator, who is one win behind Swedish legend Ingemar Stenmark’s single-season World Cup record of 13 victories from 1979, and 19 other racers waited more than five hours before the men’s super-G finale finally was called off Friday due to fog.

The race will not be rescheduled since Maier already has clinched his fourth consecutive title in that discipline. The Austrian superstar also clinched the overall crown _ his third in the last four years _ in Norway last weekend.

The women did run and Regine Cavagnoud of France clinched the women’s super-G title with a third in the finale, won by Corinne Rey Bellet of Switzerland.

Rey Bellet skied down the course, shortened to 1,788 meters because of poor visibility, in 1 minute, 09.52 seconds. Melanie Turgeon of Canada placed second, .69 behind. Cavagnoud was .75 behind.

Cavagnoud topped the final super-G standings with 577 points. Renate Goetschl of Austria had 466 for second followed by France’s Carole Montillet, 405, and Turgeon, 364.

Janica Kostelic of Croatia finished seventh, one spot ahead of Goetschl, and increased her lead in the overall women’s standings from 39 to 43 points over the defending champion.

It was clear weather in the starting area when the skiers gathered there for the last time in mid afternoon after the race had been rescheduled nine times during the day. But the fog was thick midway down the course.

“It was clear on the upper part, but the fog was bad when I skied down the toughest part of the course,” said forerunner David Hansson, the only male skier to complete the course in the afternoon. “I couldn’t see much there. It was a correct decision to cancel the race.”

Maier finished with 420 points atop the super-G standings. Christoph Gruber was runnerup with 246 points and Josef Strobl third with 228 ahead of two other Austrians.

Daron Rahlves of the United States, who upset Maier to win the super-G gold in last month’s World Alpine Ski Championships at St. Anton, Austria, finished 17th with 70 points.

Two races remain, the slalom and giant slalom, this weekend.

Only 12 of the 21 entries finished the women’s super-G. Sweden’s Pernilla Wiberg took a bad fall on a steep section only six seconds into the race. She escaped unhurt. Kirsten Clark, the only American qualifier, skied out.

Are, Scandinavia’s biggest alpine ski resort, boasts the only illuminated giant slalom and slalom courses in the world and World Cup events have been held there for years. Only the bottom section of the super-G course could be illuminated.

Maier won the last men’s downhill of the season Thursday _ his 40th World Cup victory _ to retain his DH title and close in on Stenmark’s record.

Maier could tie Stenmark’s record Saturday if he wins the last giant slalom of the season. The slalom is Sunday, but Maier doesn’t complete in that discipline.

Stenmark won all 10 giant slalom races–including one here–and three slaloms in 1979.

Copyright © 2000 The Associated Press