Maze wins World Cup super-G

ST ANTON, Austria (AFP) –

Slovenian Tina Maze reacts in finish area of the women’s World Cup downhill, on January 12, 2012 in St Anton am Arlberg, Austria. Maze has become only the sixth woman skiier to win races in all five Alpine disciplines with victory in the World Cup super-G in St Anton, Austria.

Overall World Cup leader Tina Maze of Slovenia became only the sixth woman skier to win races in all five alpine skiing disciplines with victory in the World Cup super-G here on Sunday.

The 29-year-old finished four-hundredths of a second ahead of Anna Fenninger of Austria and .99 of a second clear of Switzerland’s Fabienne Suter, for her sixth victory of the season.

“I’m not really concerned about making history when I get prepared for a race, but it is always a nice thing to hear once it’s done,” she said.

“I’ve worked hard to win my first Super G, I got very close to winning last season.

“I could not have made it if there wasn’t such a good team of people around me. The summer preparation was conducted in the best way possible and it’s been paying off so far.”

Lindsey Vonn of the United States, who won the first two super-G races of the season, was a hundredth of a second away from a place on the podium in fourth.

Vonn, a four-time World Cup overall winner, said she was satisfied with her performances in what was her first weekend of competition after a month off.

“I think that it was a good weekend to reconstruct my season,” said Vonn, whose rollercoaster season saw her hospitalised for an intestinal ailment, admitting to suffering from depression for a number of years and her divorce was finalised last Thursday.

“I would have obviously preferred to have been on the podium today, missing out by a hundredth is a shame.

“I rediscovered my confidence. I am really eager to get to Cortina (next weekend).

“I think that next weekend will see me in better form. You can’t win the overall title every year. Tina proved that she is the best all round skier this season, there is no question about that.

“I haven’t yet taken a decision regarding Flachau (night-time slalom on Tuesday).”

Maze, one of the few all-rounders on the circuit, has won 17 races in all: 12 giant slaloms, one downhill, two super-combined, a slalom and now a super-G.

She is now virtually assured of the overall World Cup title at the midway stage of the season, having finished in the top three in 13 of the 20 races so far and holding a 550-point advantage over her closest rival, Maria Hoefl-Riesch of Germany, who was fifth in St Anton.

Maze has also moved to within 20 points of leader Vonn in the super-G standings.