Austrian skier Renate Goetschl has won her second straight World Cup super giant slalom race, confirming her role as a favorite in the speed disciplines for the upcoming world championships.
Goetschl's victory Friday was a record seventh at the Olympia delle Tofane course in Cortina D'Ampezzo, Italy and the 35th of her career. She said she was donating her winner's check of about $35,000 to a tsunami relief fund.
The Austrian's margin of victory was a slim eight-100ths of a second over Lindsey Kildow of the United States. Austrian Silvia Berger was third, about three-quarters of a second behind.
Finland's Tanja Poutianen, who does not race speed events and is taking the week off, leads the overall standings with 706 points. Janica Kostelic of Croatia placed 10th Friday and moved into a tie for second with Sweden's Anja Paerson, 47 points behind.
With the 35th World Cup victory of her career, Goetschl now trails Germany's Katja Seizinger by only one win for third place on the all-time list. Austrian Annemarie Moser-Proell tops the list with 62 wins.
Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP.
