BEAVER CREEK, 02/12/2005 22:41 (AP) - Daron Rahlves edged Bode Miller in a World Cup Downhill on Friday for a 1-2 American finish, reversing their order from last year on the same slope.

Daron Rahlves of the U.S. skis to a win in the men's World Cup downhill in Beaver Creek, Colorado December 2, 2005, with a time of one minute 13.37 seconds. Bode Miller of the U.S. was second and Austrian Hans Grugger placed third. (REUTERS/ Mike Segar)

This time, Rahlves covered the Birds of Prey course, shortened because of wind and fog, in 1 minute, 13.37 seconds. Two skiers later, Miller came down in 1:13.64, going through the top faster than his teammate before losing ground in the latter stages.

"On the bottom part, it was tight. Bode was scaring me at the bottom, he was skiing really well, too", Rahlves said. "That's good to see, the two of us on the same team, challenging each other for the win".

In 2004, when Miller beat Rahlves by 0.16 seconds, it was the first time U.S. men took the top two spots in a World Cup Downhill. That was also the first time since 1984 that Americans went 1-2 in a top race since Phil Mahre won the Slalom at the Sarajevo Olympics ahead of twin brother Steve.

"I can't feel too badly about this", Miller said, "last year, Daron felt he'd put down a winning run, but I beat him".

Hans Grugger of Austria was third in 1:13.71, just ahead of teammate Fritz Strobl, who won the season-opening Downhill at Lake Louise, Alberta, last weekend.

Austria's Hans Grugger skis to a third place finish in the Men's World Cup Downhill ski race in Beaver Creek, Colo., on Friday, Dec. 2, 2005. (AP Photo/Alex Trovati)

Miller was 22nd in that race, and 18th in a super-G the next day, then failed to finish Thursday's super-G at Beaver Creek, blaming goggles that iced up and made it tough to see.

He began last season by winning four of the first five races and six of 10 en route to becoming the first American since 1983 to win the overall World Cup title. But he said on Friday he wasn't concerned by this season's much slower start.

The 32-year-old Rahlves has said this likely will be his final season of competition and his goals include filling an already impressive resume with two things he lacks: An Olympic medal and a World Cup discipline title.

He's come quite close to the latter, finishing second in the Downhill standings in 2002-03 and 2003-04, second in the SuperG in 2003-04, and third in the SuperG last season. He was 32nd in the Lake Louise Downhill, but was brilliant on Friday, at one point righting himself after tilting sideways.

Daron Rahlves, right, of Sugar Bowl, Calif., is congratulated by teammate Bode Miller, of Bretton Woods, N.H., after they finished first and second respectively in the Men's World Cup Downhill ski race in Beaver Creek, Colo., on Friday, Dec. 2, 2005. (AP Photo/Alex Trovati)

As if winning a World Cup race wasn't enough motivation, particularly at the only U.S. hill on the men's circuit, Rahlves said he also got a little extra pumped up when he heard Miller talking near the start about how he planned to "rip this hill apart, I'm not putting in all this effort to finish second over and over again to the same guy", said Rahlves, who was fifth in Thursday's super-G. "Last year was tough, always just kind of like a step behind Bode, every time".

RESULTS Men's DH
Beaver Creek 02/12/2005

1  Rahlves Daron 01' 13" 37
2  Miller Bode 01' 13" 64
3  Grugger Johann 01' 13" 71
4  Strobl Fritz 01' 14" 34
5  Kernen Bruno 01' 14" 43
6  Guay Erik 01' 14" 46
7  Fill Peter 01' 14" 48
8  Aamodt Kjetil-Andre 01' 14" 52
9  Cuche Didier 01' 14" 56
10  Walchhofer Michael 01' 14" 59

World cup Leader - Men

Svindal Aksel-Lund (NOR)
01.01.1982 (Kjeller)
Ski: Atomic

General Standing - Men

1. Svindal Aksel-Lund  222
2. Strobl Fritz  208
3. Rahlves Daron  205
4. Maier Hermann  203
5. Aamodt Kjetil-Andre  193
6. Miller Bode  182
7. Guay Erik  158
8. Raich Benjamin  155
9. Reichelt Hannes  148
10. Buchel Marco  131

***

Italy's Fanchini wins first World Cup race

ALPINE WORLD CUP, LAKE LOUISE, 02/12/2005 22:49, (AP) - Elena Fanchini of Italy won her first World Cup title by capturing the inaugural Women's Downhill of the season in 1 minute, 49.33 seconds on Friday.

Elena Fanchini from Italy cuts a turn as she posts the fastest training time of one minue 48.32 seconds during training for the women's World Cup downhill in Lake Louise, Canada December 1, 2005. Women skiers will race their first World Cup downhill of the 2005-2006 season in Lake Louise December 2, 2005. REUTERS/Shaun Best

Michaela Dorfmeister of Austria was second at 1:49.43. Another veteran Austrian, Alexandra Meissnitzer, was third at 1:49.60 on the bitter cold afternoon with soft snowfall and the temperature at 1 degree (minus-17 C).

Austrian skier Michaela Dorfmeister celebrates her second place finish at the women's World Cup downhill in Lake Louise, Canada December 2, 2005. Dorfmeister had a time of one minute 49.43 seconds, Italy's Elena Fanchini won with a time of one minute 49.33 seconds. (Shaun Best/Reuters)

Dorfmeister, who has 21 World Cup victories and will retire after this season, has had great success at Lake Louise. This was her fourth second-place finish here, and she is the defending Lake Louise SuperG champion.

Fanchini, 20, burst onto the World Cup scene with a second-place finish in last World Championships. Her only previous World Cup finishes were fifth in the downhill at Santa Caterina, Italy, and 17th in the SuperG in San Sicario, Italy, both last season.

Italian skier Elena Fanchini (C) celebrates between two Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers after winning the women's World Cup downhill in Lake Louise, Canada December 2, 2005. Fanchini earned her maiden World Cup win in the opening downhill of the season on Friday, boosting Italian hopes for an Alpine skiing medal at next year's winter Olympics. She clocked one minute 49.33 seconds. (Shaun Best/Reuters)

Lucia Recchia of Italy was taken by helicopter off the mountain after a crash midway down the course. Recchia has a history of concussions, but only had a bloody nose and no major injuries, race officials said.

American Lindsey Kildow, whose lone World Cup victory came in the same race a year ago, was the leader through much of the competition, but she knew it wouldn't stay that way. She finished fifth.

"I made too many mistakes", she said, "but anything in the top five is good, there's another Downhill tomorrow". Kildow, who earned her 13th top five finish, lost more than a half-second when she went sideways on a tricky, sharp turn three-quarters through the race.

RESULTS DH Ladies
Lake Louise 02/12/2005

1  Fanchini Elena 01' 49" 33
2  Dorfmeister Michaela 01' 49" 43
3  Meissnitzer Alexandra 01' 49" 61
4  Mancuso Julia 01' 50" 00
5  Kildow Lindsey C. 01' 50" 05
6  Styger Nadia 01' 50" 23
7  Rumpfhuber Ingrid 01' 50" 24
8  Berthod Sylviane 01' 50" 40
9  Bent Nike 01' 50" 43
10  Cook Stacey 01' 50" 49

World cup Leader - Ladies

Maze Tina (SLO)
02.05.1983 (Slovenj Gradec)
Ski: Rossignol

World Cup General Standing - Ladies

1. Maze Tina  110
2. Kostelic Janica  102
3. Fanchini Elena  100
4. Dorfmeister Michaela  89
5. Mancuso Julia  60
6. Paerson Anja  60
7. Meissnitzer Alexandra  60
8. Goergl Elisabeth  50
9. Zettel Kathrin  50
10. Kildow Lindsey C.  45

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