Press release -
Lindsey Vonn & Paco Rassat are No. 1 in the Downhill and Slalom
There's no holding back Lindsey Vonn. The U.S. athlete wins the Downhill on a shortened track in Zauchensee on Saturday, followed by her HEAD team-mate Kajsa Vickhoff Lie. Her 45th victory in the Downhill and 84th victory in the World Cup sees the 41-year-old athlete continue to increase her lead in the discipline ranking. Paco Rassat also delivers a sensational performance. Following his victory in the Slalom in Adelboden on Sunday, the 27-year-old French athlete takes the lead in the overall ranking in this discipline. The HEAD Worldcup Rebels celebrate a double victory in this race with Atle Lie McGrath in second place.
"Following the triple victory in Gurgl, to take first and second place here in Adelboden in completely different conditions is simply brilliant. The boys skied superbly, with five finishing in the top 13. This was an awesome day for us!" said HEAD Racing Director Rainer Salzgeber. "The way Paco Rassat performed is amazing. This is his second season with us, and he is already in the top seven with the next classic events still to come - that's incredibly exciting. Lindsey Vonn is making the ski world speechless. She is a strong skier, the equipment works, and Aksel's coaching is super. It all adds up to this result. I am particularly pleased with the second place for Kajsa Vickhoff Lie. Despite being well prepared, she has not found it easy to get into the rhythm. This podium shows that she is now well up there with the top contenders. She is still a relatively young athlete, so we have a lot more to look forward to from her."
340 points in four World Cup Downhill events so far
Lindsey Vonn demonstrated her strength yet again in the Downhill on Saturday. This is her second victory in the Downhill this season following her win in St. Moritz in December. She stood on the podium in the other two races in this discipline too, bagging a total of 340 points in four events. "I thought that with this start number I have no chance, but I found the right line. I am pleased to win again here after ten years. I executed exactly the game plan I wanted, and my body is responding the way I want it to," said Lindsey Vonn at the finish.
First podium this season for Kajsa Vickhoff Lie
Kajsa Vickhoff Lie was very happy to celebrate her first podium of the season. The 27-year-old Norwegian athlete finished just 37 hundredths of a second behind Lindsey Vonn to make her second place a double victory for the HEAD Worldcup Rebels. Three more HEAD Worldcup Rebels finished in the top ten with Laura Pirovano from Italy in fourth place, Emma Aicher from Germany sixth, and Elena Curtoni from Italy tenth. World Cup points were also won by Allison Mollin from the USA in 14th place, Laura Gauche from France 15th, Keely Cashman from the USA 18th, Cornelia Hütter from Austria 20th, Corinne Suter from Switzerland 22nd, Ariane Rädler and Nadine Fest from Austria in joint 24th place, Inni Holm Wembstad from Norway 27th, and Leonie Zegg from Austria 30th. For Allison Mollin this is her best World Cup result to date, and Inni Holm Wembstad and Leonie Zegg picked up their first World Cup points.
The Super-G on Sunday had to be cancelled because there was so much fresh snow.
Second victory this season for Paco Rassat
Paco Rassat is having a sensational Slalom season. The French athlete was fourth on run one and secured his victory by clocking the fastest time on run two. Following Gurgl in November, this is the second victory of the season for the 27-year-old. In Madonna di Campiglio on Wednesday, he stood on the podium in third place. These awesome results have now put him in the lead in the Slalom World Cup with 340 points after six events. "This victory in Adelboden means a lot to me. I have not won points here before. To now win here in front of this breathtaking backdrop is really amazing. On the second run I tried to ski the steep part better and push faster on the flatter sections. I managed to do that well. I like the steep parts because that is where I have the skills to attack," said Paco Rassat, delighted, at the finish.
Fourth podium of the season for Atle Lie McGrath
Atle Lie McGrath also confirmed his excellent form by coming second. For the 25-year-old Norwegian athlete it is his fourth podium this season, his third in the Slalom. "Today was really cool. It was difficult with the snow, but the atmosphere here is so intense. It was a huge challenge. It means a lot to me. Last year I won zero points in Madonna and Adelboden. Now I'm a year older, and I'm on the podium. This is a very good improvement on last year," said Atle Lie McGrath. World Cup points were also collected by Armand Marchant from Belgium in tenth place, Albert Popov from Bulgaria eleventh, Dave Ryding, Billy Major and Laurie Taylor from Britain in 13th, 19th, and 22nd place, and Tobias Kastlunger from Italy in 27th place.
Atle Lie McGrath is the best HEAD Worldcup Rebel in the Giant Slalom
The best HEAD Worldcup Rebel in the Giant Slalom in Adelboden on Saturday was Atle Lie McGrath. Behind the Norwegian athlete, Alexis Pinturault from France finished in twelfth place. Loevan Parand from France grabbed his best result in the World Cup so far in 16th place, Lukas Feurstein from Austria was 21st, Anton Grammel from Germany 22nd, and Flavio Vitale from France 24th.
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