Poutiainen frets for a brief moment after finishing second in FIS Alpine World Cup opening in Austria

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This year’s opening event of the FIS Alpine World Cup season in Sölden, Austria, was not entirely unlike any other race for Finland’s Tanja Poutiainen, who once again was seen spreading her arms in astonishment after finishing her second run.
      Though Poutiainen was in the lead after the first run of the season opening giant slalom event, she ultimately only managed to come home in second behind Austria’s Kathrin Zettel.
      Still, Poutiainen’s disappointment only lasted but a moment. In seconds a big smile returned on her face as she slid to congratulate Zettel, who was celebrating her fourth-ever World Cup win.
      “The event left me with positive sentiments. Perhaps I was displeased for about ten seconds after the race, but this soon turned into joy”, Poutiainen went through her emotions.
     
With the second place Poutiainen equalled her best-ever season opening result. The last time this happened - also here on the Rettenbach glacier in 2004 - Poutiainen then went on to win the World Cup titles in both slalom and giant slalom and completed her most successful season to date with two World Championship silvers.
      “This race gave me good feedback. I know now that the summer training has gone right. As I hadn’t had any problems I kind of expected that everything would be OK and that I would be fast, but of course you never know for sure. The result signalled that anything and everything is possible this season.”
      “I feel that I am stronger than last year even in slalom. This will be of help also in the giant slalom. It is a relief to know that I have no problems in either discipline.”
      Poutiainen’s opening run was nearly perfect. Zettel did the same with her second attempt. After the first run Poutiainen's lead over the Austrian was 0.15 seconds. In the end Zettel beat the Finn by a healthy 0.98 seconds.
      For Poutiainen this marked her 11th second-place finish in the Alpine World Cup.
     
Another Finn Sanni Leinonen finished 21st, which is her best-ever World Cup result in giant slalom. In slalom Leinonen once finished tenth two seasons ago.
      “I am really satisfied. This was the kind of result I was looking for. In the first run I gave it my all to ensure I would make it to the second round. In the second run I was perhaps slightly too cautious at the beginning but the end went quite well”, the 18-year-old Leinonen explained.
     
After a slightly disappointing 2007/2008 season, where she only earned World Cup points in one race, Leinonen was meant to race mostly in the European Cup this season, just to earn better starting positions and to gain experience.
      At first hand Leinonen was unable to say if the successful start to the season is going to alter these plans.
      “At least now I would really like to compete in giant slalom in the World Cup, because at the end of the day this is what really counts.”


Links:
  FIS-pages: Sanni Leinonen
  FIS-pages: Tanja Poutiainen

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