The 43rd World Cup season began in late October 2008 in Sölden, Austria, and concluded in mid-March 2009, at the World Cup finals in Åre, Sweden.
Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway won the overall title by two points over Benjamin Raich of Austria. Svindal returned from a season-ending injury in December 2007, and also took the season title in super-G. Lindsey Vonn of the U.S. repeated as women's overall champion, taking the title by a substantial 384 points over Maria Riesch of Germany. Vonn also repeated as the season downhill champion, and added the season title in super-G.
Being an odd-numbered year, a break in the World Cup schedule was for the biennial World Championships. The 2009 World Championships were held 2–15 February in Val-d'Isère, Savoie, France.
No pre-Olympic World Cup alpine events were run at Whistler Mountain, Canada, during the 2009 season. In late February 2008, a women's downhill and super-combined were run on Franz's Run, the women's Olympic course. The most recent men's World Cup events on the Dave Murray Downhill course were held in late February 1995. The World Cup races in North America were switched to the early part of the season in the fall of 1995, and the men's speed events at Whistler were canceled three consecutive years (December 1996–98) due to weather issues, which prompted the switch to Lake Louise in Alberta in December 1999.
Calendar
Men + Event key: DH – Downhill, SL – Slalom, GS – Giant slalom, SG – Super giant slalom, KB – Classic Combined, SC – Super combined, PS – Parallel slalom (promo event only)DatePlaceWinnerSecondThirdDetails1338 1 26 October 2008 Sölden GS 326 Daniel Albrecht Didier Cuche Ted Ligety 1339 2 16 November 2008 Levi SL 382 Jean-Baptiste Grange Bode Miller Mario Matt 1340 3 29 November 2008 Lake Louise DH 388 Peter Fill Carlo Janka Hans Olsson 1341 4 30 November 2008 SG 142 Hermann Maier John Kucera Didier Cuche 4 December 2008 Beaver Creek SC cnx heavy snowfall; replaced in Val-d'Isère on 12 December 2008"Super combined cancelled at Beaver Creek", 4 December 2008.1342 5 5 December 2008 DH 389 Aksel Lund Svindal Marco Büchel Erik Guay 1343 6 6 December 2008 SG 143 Aksel Lund Svindal Hermann Maier Michael Walchhofer 1344 7 7 December 2008 GS 327 Benjamin Raich Ted Ligety Aksel Lund Svindal 1345 8 12 December 2008 Val-d'Isère SC 101 Benjamin Raich Jean-Baptiste Grange Marcel Hirscher 1346 9 13 December 2008 GS 328 Carlo Janka Massimiliano Blardone Gauthier de Tessières 14 December 2008 SL cnx high winds; replaced in Alta Badia on 22 December 2008"Val d'Isere: winds cancel men's slalom", 14 December 2008.1347 10 19 December 2008 Val Gardena SG 144 Werner Heel Didier Défago Patrik Järbyn 1348 11 20 December 2008 DH 390 Michael Walchhofer Bode Miller Manuel Osborne-Paradis 1349 12 21 December 2008 Alta Badia GS 329 Daniel Albrecht Ivica Kostelić Hannes Reichelt 1350 13 22 December 2008 SL 383 Ivica Kostelić Jean-Baptiste Grange Benjamin Raich 1351 14 28 December 2008 Bormio DH 391 Christof Innerhofer Klaus Kröll Michael Walchhofer Promo event 2 January 2009 Moscow (unofficial) PS pro Felix Neureuther Jean-Baptiste Grange Bode Miller 1352 15 6 January 2009 Zagreb SL 384 Jean-Baptiste Grange Ivica Kostelić Giuliano Razzoli 1353 16 10 January 2009 Adelboden GS 330 Benjamin Raich Massimiliano Blardone Kjetil Jansrud 1354 17 11 January 2009 SL 385 Reinfried Herbst Manfred Pranger Felix Neureuther 1355 18 16 January 2009 Wengen SC 102 Carlo Janka Peter Fill Silvan Zurbriggen 1356 19 17 January 2009 DH 392 Didier Défago Bode Miller Marco Sullivan 1357 20 18 January 2009 SL 386 Manfred Pranger Reinfried Herbst Ivica Kostelić 1358 21 23 January 2009 Kitzbühel SG 145 Klaus Kröll Aksel Lund Svindal Ambrosi Hoffmann 1359 22 24 January 2009 DH 393 Didier Défago Michael Walchhofer Klaus Kröll 1360 23 25 January 2009 SL 387 Julien Lizeroux Jean-Baptiste Grange Patrick Thaler 1361 24 25 January 2009 KB 103 Silvan Zurbriggen Ivica Kostelić Natko Zrnčić-Dim 1362 25 27 January 2009 Schladming SL 388 Reinfried Herbst Manfred Pranger Ivica Kostelić 31 January 2009 Garmisch-Partenkirchen DH cnx fog at mid-course; replaced in Kvitfjell on 6 March 2009"Garmisch: Fog dooms Saturday races", 31 January 2009.1363 26 1 February 2009 SL 389 Manfred Mölgg Giorgio Rocca Reinfried Herbst 2009 World Championships (2–15 February)1364 27 21 February 2009 Sestriere GS 331 Didier Cuche Stephan Görgl Benjamin Raich 1365 28 22 February 2009 SC 104 Romed Baumann Julien Lizeroux Carlo Janka Christof Innerhofer 1366 29 28 February 2009 Kranjska Gora GS 332 Ted Ligety Didier Cuche Massimiliano Blardone 1367 30 1 March 2009 SL 390 Julien Lizeroux Giuliano Razzoli Felix Neureuther 1368 31 6 March 2009 Kvitfjell DH 394 Manuel Osborne-Paradis Michael Walchhofer Aksel Lund Svindal 1369 32 7 March 2009 DH 395 Klaus Kröll Michael Walchhofer Manuel Osborne-Paradis 8 March 2009 SG cnx snowstorm"Kvitfjell: Snow cancels Cup super G", 8 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-08.1370 33 11 March 2009 Åre DH 396 Aksel Lund Svindal Didier Cuche Hans Olsson 1371 34 12 March 2009 SG 146 Werner Heel Aksel Lund Svindal Christof Innerhofer 1372 35 13 March 2009 GS 333 Benjamin Raich Ted Ligety Didier Cuche 1373 36 14 March 2009 SL 391 Mario Matt Julien Lizeroux Jean-Baptiste Grange
Ladies + Event key: DH – Downhill, SL – Slalom, GS – Giant slalom, SG – Super giant slalom, SC – Super combinedDatePlaceWinnerSecondThirdDetails1252 1 25 October 2008 Sölden GS 325 Kathrin Zettel Tanja Poutiainen Andrea Fischbacher 1253 2 15 November 2008 Levi SL 365 Lindsey Vonn Maria Pietilä-Holmner Maria Riesch 1254 3 29 November 2008 Aspen GS 326 Tessa Worley Tanja Poutiainen Elisabeth Görgl 1255 4 30 November 2008 SL 366 Šárka Záhrobská Nicole Hosp Tanja Poutiainen 1256 5 5 December 2008 Lake Louise DH 322 Lindsey Vonn Nadia Fanchini Maria Riesch 6 December 2008 DH cnx heavy snowfall; replaced in Cortina d'Ampezzo on 23 January 2009"Second Louise DH cancelled by snowfall", 6 December 2008.1257 6 7 December 2008 SG 158 Nadia Fanchini Fabienne Suter Andrea Fischbacher 1258 7 13 December 2008 La Molina GS 327 Tanja Poutiainen Manuela Mölgg Nicole Hosp 1259 8 14 December 2008 SL 367 Maria Riesch Lindsey Vonn Kathrin Zettel 1260 9 19 December 2008 St. Moritz SC 082 Anja Pärson Nicole Hosp Fabienne Suter 1261 10 20 December 2008 SG 159 Lara Gut Fabienne Suter Nadia Fanchini 21 December 2008 DH cnx high winds; replaced in Bansko on 27 February 2009"St Moritz: High winds force DH cancellation", 21 December 2008.1262 11 28 December 2008 Semmering GS 328 Kathrin Zettel Manuela Mölgg Lara Gut 1263 12 29 December 2008 SL 368 Maria Riesch Tanja Poutiainen Lindsey Vonn 1264 13 4 January 2009 Zagreb SL 369 Maria Riesch Nicole Gius Šárka Záhrobská 1265 14 10 January 2009 Maribor GS 329 Tina Maze Denise Karbon Kathrin Hölzl 1266 15 11 January 2009 SL 370 Maria Riesch Kathrin Zettel Tanja Poutiainen 1267 16 17 January 2009 Altenmarkt SC 083 Lindsey Vonn Kathrin Zettel Anja Pärson 1268 17 18 January 2009 DH 323 Dominique Gisin Anja Pärson Lindsey Vonn 22 January 2009 Cortina d'Ampezzo SG cnx blizzard; replaced in Cortina d'Ampezzo on 26 January 200923 January 2009 DH cnx heavy snowfall1269 18 24 January 2009 DH 324 Dominique Gisin Lindsey Vonn Anja Pärson 1270 19 25 January 2009 GS 330 Kathrin Zettel Michaela Kirchgasser Elisabeth Görgl 1271 20 26 January 2009 SG 160 Jessica Lindell-Vikarby Anna Fenninger Andrea Dettling 1272 21 30 January 2009 Garmisch-Partenkirchen SL 371 Lindsey Vonn Maria Riesch Maruša Ferk 31 January 2009 SG cnx fog: mid-course; replaced in Garmisch-Partenkirchen on 1 February 2009 1273 22 1 February 2009 SG 161 Lindsey Vonn Anja Pärson Jessica Lindell-Vikarby 2009 World Championships (2–15 February)1274 23 20 February 2009 Tarvisio SC 084 Maria Riesch Lindsey Vonn Kathrin Zettel 1275 24 21 February 2009 DH 325 Gina Stechert Lindsey Vonn Anja Pärson 1276 25 22 February 2009 SG 162 Lindsey Vonn Fabienne Suter Tina Maze 1277 26 27 February 2009 Bansko DH 326 Fabienne Suter Andrea Fischbacher Nadia Fanchini Lindsey Vonn 1278 27 28 February 2009 DH 327 Andrea Fischbacher Tina Maze Fabienne Suter 1279 28 1 March 2009 SG 163 Lindsey Vonn Fabienne Suter Tina Maze 1280 29 6 March 2009 Ofterschwang GS 331 Kathrin Zettel Elisabeth Görgl Tanja Poutiainen 1281 30 7 March 2009 SL 372 Sandrine Aubert Frida Hansdotter Nicole Hosp 1282 31 11 March 2009 Åre DH 328 Lindsey Vonn Maria Riesch Renate Götschl 1283 32 12 March 2009 SG 164 Lindsey Vonn Nadia Fanchini Maria Riesch 1284 33 13 March 2009 SL 373 Sandrine Aubert Fanny Chmelar Therese Borssén Šárka Záhrobská 1285 34 14 March 2009 GS 332 Tina Maze Tanja Poutiainen Manuela Mölgg
Nations team event + Event key: SC – Super combined (super-G + slalom) DatePlaceWinnerSecondThirdDetails3 1 15 March 2009 Åre SC 003
Men's standings
Overall Rankafter all 36 racesPoints 1 Aksel Lund Svindal 1009 2 Benjamin Raich 1007 3 Didier Cuche 919 4 Ivica Kostelić 891 5 Jean-Baptiste Grange 887
Downhill Rankafter all 9 racesPoints 1 Michael Walchhofer 470 2 Klaus Kröll 424 3 Didier Défago 363 4 Aksel Lund Svindal 323 5 Manuel Osborne-Paradis 323
Super-G Rankafter all 5 racesPoints 1 Aksel Lund Svindal 292 2 Werner Heel 256 3 Didier Défago 242 4 Hermann Maier 231 5 Christof Innerhofer 168
Giant slalom Rankafter all 8 racesPoints 1 Didier Cuche 474 2 Benjamin Raich 462 3 Ted Ligety 421 4 Massimiliano Blardone 325 5 Aksel Lund Svindal 260
Slalom Rankafter all 10 racesPoints 1 Jean-Baptiste Grange 541 2 Ivica Kostelić 454 3 Julien Lizeroux 419 4 Manfred Pranger 415 5 Reinfried Herbst 396
Super combined Rankafter all 4 racesPoints 1 Carlo Janka 242 2 Silvan Zurbriggen 231 3 Romed Baumann 169 4 Ivica Kostelić 166 5 Benjamin Raich 165
Ladies' standings
Overall Rankafter all 34 racesPoints 1 Lindsey Vonn 1788 2 Maria Riesch 1404 3 Anja Pärson 1059 4 Kathrin Zettel 1046 5 Tanja Poutiainen 914
Downhill Rankafter all 7 racesPoints 1 Lindsey Vonn 502 2 Andrea Fischbacher 326 3 Maria Riesch 292 4 Dominique Gisin 291 5 Nadia Fanchini 276
Super-G Rankafter all 7 racesPoints 1 Lindsey Vonn 461 2 Nadia Fanchini 416 3 Fabienne Suter 408 4 Anja Pärson 251 5 Andrea Dettling 221
Giant slalom Rankafter all 8 racesPoints 1 Tanja Poutiainen 508 2 Kathrin Zettel 501 3 Tina Maze 368 4 Elisabeth Görgl 318 5 Denise Karbon 282
Slalom Rankafter all 9 racesPoints 1 Maria Riesch 670 2 Šárka Záhrobská 459 3 Lindsey Vonn 440 4 Tanja Poutiainen 406 5 Sandrine Aubert 325
Super combined Rankafter all 3 racesPoints 1 Anja Pärson 205 2 Lindsey Vonn 180 3 Kathrin Zettel 162 4 Maria Riesch 150 5 Elisabeth Görgl 113
Nations Cup
Overall Rankafter all 70 racesPoints 1 Austria 10740 2 Switzerland 7786 3 Italy 5974 4 France 4490 5 United States 4158
Men Rankafter all 36 racesPoints 1 Austria 5982 2 Switzerland 4238 3 Italy 3426 4 France 2681 5 United States 1881
Ladies Rankafter all 34 racesPoints 1 Austria 4758 2 Switzerland 3548 3 Germany 2550 4 Italy 2548 5 Sweden 2441
Footnotes
References
External links FIS-ski.com – World Cup standings Ski Racing.com – U.S.-based magazine – alpine racing news U.S. Ski Team.com – alpine news