Aspen, CO – Olympic champion Julia Mancuso broke a seven-year jinx, taking the number three podium spot with two brilliant giant slalom runs at the Nature Valley Aspen Winternational World Cup ski races on Saturday.  Defending World Cup GS champ Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany survived a near crash on the first run to comeback for the win.

Mancuso’s was the first U.S. podium in Aspen since Kristina Koznick was third in a slalom in November, 2004 and the first U.S. women’s giant slalom podium there since a 1981 performance by Tamara McKinney, who was on hand in Aspen to watch Saturday’s race. For Mancuso it was her first GS podium since December, 2007 in Lienz, Austria.

“I’ve been wanting to ski really fast in GS and I had a couple of unlucky second runs last year so this is just a great way to start. I know now that with any start position, I can find my way onto the podium,” said Mancuso, whose Spyder racing suit for Aspen featured a trail map of her home mountain of Squaw Valley, Calif. “I think every time I’ve raced here I’ve been in the top 10 or have been really close to the top 10. I’ve always loved this hill because it’s always moving, it’s really steep and it’s a lot of fun.”

The town of Aspen lit up for the Thanksgiving weekend races that mark the second stop on the women’s Alpine World Cup circuit.

“Aspen Ski Club and this whole town has always been so supportive of ski racing,” said Mancuso. “We had a poster signing last night and there were so many kids that came out and then I saw all them up on the hill today. It’s just really great as a whole to see how supportive of ski racing that Aspen is as a community.

“There’s so many things about Aspen that makes it a difficult race. Soelden was over a month ago, our families are here and you always want to ski well for the crowd and it’s a super tough hill. This really feels like the first race of the year and there’s a certain amount of nerves that comes with that.”

Vail, Colo.’s Lindsey Vonn battled back from the 21st position after a tough first run to finish 12th.

“With the terrain and the flat light, I just kept making mistakes the second run, but it wasn’t quite enough. The just wasn’t really myself in the first run, I made some improvements in the second – it’s definitely not what I was hoping for here in Aspen,” admitted a disappointed Vonn. “The crowd was great, they’re always so supportive here in Aspen. I’m really excited that Julia was able to put the U.S. back on the podium in our home race.”

As for other Americans on Saturday, Sarah Schleper, of Vail, Colo., failed to finish her first run while neither Resi Stiegler of Jackson Hole, Wyo., Kiley Staples of Park City, Utah, nor Mikaela Shiffrin of Eagle, Colo., qualified to start the race.

Marie-Pier Prefontaine, of Lac-Etchemin, Quebec, was the top Canadian finisher on Saturday, crossing the finish line in 24th place. Fellow Quebecoise Marie-Michele Gagnon failed to finish the first run, while her teammate Madison Irwin did not qualify to start the race.

Rebensburg moved into the Audi FIS World Cup lead with the win, while Vonn dropped to third. Mancuso occupied the fifth rank.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Nature Valley Aspen Winternational
Audi FIS Alpine World Cup
Aspen, CO – Nov. 26, 2011
Women’s Giant Slalom

1. Viktoria Rebensburg, Germany, 2:11.25
2. Elisabeth Goergl, Austria, 2:11.58
3. Julia Mancuso, Squaw Valley, CA, 2:11.69