Anna Fenninger overcame her nerves and a strong challenge from Tina Maze to clinch her second straight World Cup title in style Sunday.
Fenninger making it a great day for the Austrians as she held off Maze to win the women’s giant slalom, also defending that title in the process.
Fenninger led Maze after the first run and, despite struggling to focus, hammered down the second to finish 0.38 seconds ahead of countrywoman Eva-Maria Brem — her only rival for the GS title — and 0.46 clear of Maze.
“I was really nervous at the start. Then I tried to do what I love. I was always thinking about that: ‘You love it and you have to do it,'” the 25-year-old Fenninger said. “I’m happy that I can live my dream.”
That was her speaking about three hours after her victory.
In the moments before her last race of a fantastic season, which saw her win GS and super-G gold and silver in downhill at last month’s world championships, she was gripped by fear, just dreading a Maze comeback.
“It’s hard to describe. I felt a lot of pressure,” Fenninger said. “Not only today but the last weeks, the last months, the last days, there was so much pressure from Tina but also from myself, from outside.”
The 31-year-old Maze, who is approaching the end of her career, gave Fenninger the gift of a necklace after the race.
“I think we’re both winners,” Fenninger said. “Tina is very strong and she always comes back when it’s a tough race.”
Fenninger finished 22 points ahead of Maze overall, while four-time champion Lindsey Vonn placed third having captured the downhill and super-G trophies in a stunning comeback season following two career-threatening knee injuries.
Vonn placed fifth on Sunday.
“It was a good day and a good way to end the season,” Vonn said.
American Mikaela Shiffrin, who sealed the slalom title on Saturday for the third straight season, finished third in the GS standings; Maze was fifth in GS and third in slalom.
