Long Shot 20-Year-Old Rebensburg Wins Gold in Women’s GS

Viktoria Rebensburg skis to GS gold

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Photo by: AP Photo/Gero Breloer

Last year, Viktoria Rebensburg won gold in the GS and the Super GS at the Junior World Ski Championships.

That’s right. Junior championships. 

The 20-year-old German surprised everyone, including herself, by winning gold in her first Olympics today in Vancouver.

"It's unbelievable," said Rebensburg soon after she realized she won gold in an interview with CVT.  "I can't say it in words. I can't believe it right now."

Her combined time of 2 minutes 27.11 seconds was enough to beat out Tina Maze of Slovenia, who was just 0.04 seconds behind for the silver. Elisabeth Goergl of Austria, who was leading after the first run yesterday, ended up just 0.14 seconds behind for bronze.

Rebensburg is the first German woman in 54 years to win gold in the GS.

The Americans struggled. Defending Olympic champion Julia Mancuso, who won Gold in the GS in Torino, finished eighth. High drama ensued yesterday when her teammate, Lindsey Vonn, crashed during her first run, causing Mancuso, following one-minute behind, to abort her run halfway through. Mancuso was never able to regain momentum for her second attempt on a badly deteriorated course in foggy conditions. The media is speculating that the relationship between Mancuso and Vonn has deteriorated as well, though Mancuso later softened earlier remarks on Vonn and said the alleged rift is overblown.

Viktoria Rebensburg skis to GS gold