Lindsey Kildow (Vail, CO) moved up to second in super G standings Wednesday as she finished fourth in the first of two World Cup super Gs, leading four U.S. women into the top 20 once again.

Austrian Renate Goetschl won the race in 1:15.57 with Swede Anja Paerson second in 1:15.79 and Kildow fourth with a time of 1:16.09, just .07 behind Martina Ertl of Germany. Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA) was 16th, Jonna Mendes (Heavenly, CA) started 48th and finished 18th, Kirsten Clark (Raymond, ME) was 20th and Caroline Lalive (Steamboat Springs, CO) 26th as the women began four days of racing on the 1956 Olympic hill.

"It's a really sweet hill. I like the banked turns a lot," said Kildow, who is enjoying a breakout season on the World Cup tour.

"I didn't ski that well. I made some mistakes - I caught an edge on one of the rollers in the middle of the bottom flats - and I thought there was no way my time was going to hold up," she said. "I caught my edge and then I went too straight and I was kinda jamming on the flats...

"But then girls kept making mistakes at the bottom, too, and were slower than I was, so I guess it's okay. It's nice to make a couple of mistakes and still be fourth. I'm really excited, I'm psyched we get multiple opportunities on the same hill, get to know yourself and where you can clean up...get to be really comfortable."

She also said she was "really pleased with Jonna's run. She skied so well, starting so far back and breaking the top 20." The two have roomed together often on the World Cup.

Despite the fourth-place result, DH/SG Head Coach Alex Hoedlmoser said, "The girls weren't really that happy. They thought they should have done better and they know where they can clean it up; they know exactly where they left a tenth or two behind. In one section, you had to full-on gun it and they skied a little too round. We felt they'd be 5-15th instead of 10-25, so we got beat a little bit on that side. But I know they're better and they know it, too, being disappointed means they're going to be attacking even more the next couple of days."

The sunshine and temperatures in the mid-30s made for an almost ideal racing day. Instead of softening the snow, Hoedlmoser said, the crystals on top glazed a bit and gave "a little more zip" to the course. Overall, Kildow - with a victory and five other top-5s, including two other podiums - is sixth in the points behind Tanja Poutiainen of Finland and five points off Austrian Michaela Dorfmeister, 215-210, after four super Gs. They both overtook previous leader Hilde Gerg of Germany, who finished 17th Wednesday. Kildow is the No. 1 downhiller after four DHs.

The women have an official downhill training run Thursday, then have a second SG Friday followed by back-to-back downhills on the weekend.

WOMEN'S ALPINE WORLD CUP
Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA - Jan. 12, 2005
Women's Super G-1

1. Renate Goetschl, Austria, 1:15.57
2. Anja Paerson, Sweden, 1:15.79
3. Martina Ertl, Germany, 1:16.02
4. Lindsey Kildow, Vail, Colo., 1:16.09
5. Michaela Dorfmeister, Austria, 1:16.17

16. Julia Mancuso, Olympic Valley, Calif., 1:16.72
18. Jonna Mendes, Heavenly, Calif., 1:16.74
20. Kirsten Clark, Raymond, Maine, 1:16.83
26. Caroline Lalive, Steamboat Springs, Colo., 1:17.11
47. Sarah Schleper, Vail, Colo., 1:18.40

Did not finish:
Bryna McCarty, Concord, Vt.

— Courtesy of US Ski Team