Super G, Women1

The women’s super-G had to be delayed one because of rain and soft snow. The French favorite was Carole Merle, who had won the super-G World Cup in 1990 and 1991 and was leading in 1992. The fourth starter, she opened a big lead of almost two seconds when she finished. The other major challengers, Ulrike Maier, 1991 World Champion, and Katja Seizinger, came and went, with Seizinger moving into second, over ½-second behind Merle. The final major contender to ski was Italy’s Deborah Compagnoni, who had won a World Cup super-G earlier in 1992, but was still outside the seeds, starting 16th. She shattered the field, besting Merle’s time by 1.41 second, to win the gold medal, with Seizinger holding on for the bronze. Compagnoni would later win gold medals at the 1994 and 1998 Winter Olympics, making her the first Alpine skier to win gold medals in three Olympic Winter Games. Ulrike Maier finished only fifth, but it was a better day than was to come for her on 29 January 1994. Readying herself for the Lillehammer Olympics at a race in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, she crashed badly, breaking her neck, and dying instantly.