ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (Reuters) - Michaela Dorfmeister kept Austria on top at the world Alpine skiing championships Monday with an aggressive run for the gold medal in the women's super-G. The defending downhill world champion, whose best placing in a super-G this season was a third in Val d'Isere, emulated compatriot Stephan Eberharter, the winner of the opening men's super-G Sunday.

 Michaela Dorfmeister

The 29-year-old mastered a demanding course mixing gliding sections with challenging turns to clock a winning time of one minute 27.48 seconds on a bright, windy day in this exclusive Swiss resort.

Michaela Dorfmeister

"This is a dream come true," said Dorfmeister, who kissed the snow in the finish area after giving her ski-mad nation more to celebrate.

"I haven't been able to show what I'm really capable of in the super-G lately so this is a great result for me," she added, wearing a broad smile.

Americans Kirsten Clark and Jonna Mendes came second and third respectively on another great day for the U.S. team after Bode Miller's surprise joint second place with Austrian Hermann Maier in the men's super-G.

KOSTELIC WAY BACK

"I didn't have the impression that I had skied that well," the 25-year-old Clark said after finishing a lean two hundredths of a second back in 1:27.50.

"I came here hoping for a medal in the downhill and this is a great surprise," added Clark, who has featured on three downhill podiums this winter but never placed higher than fourth for the super-G.

With several pre-race favorites struggling in tricky conditions with changing winds, Mendes seized her chance to shine in a traditionally wide open race, clocking 1:27.63 for an unexpected bronze medal.

"This is great after what happened to us at the Olympics," the previously unheralded 23-year-old said, referring to a disappointing overall show by the American women's team on home snow last year in Salt Lake City.

Triple Olympic champion Janica Kostelic had a poor run by her own, high standards, finishing 19th, but the gifted Croatian all-rounder will soon be back for more in the two-week festival.

Italian Daniela Ceccarelli, the Olympic champion for the most technical speed event, skied out halfway down.

MONTILLET STRUGGLES

Austria's Renate Goetschl, hoping to emulate Maier with her own comeback after recovering from knee surgery, had to be content with eighth place.

There was disappointment also for Carole Montillet of France, the Olympic downhill champion and current super-G World Cup leader finishing further back in 14th position after an error-ridden run.

Montillet's compatriot Regine Cavagnoud won super-G gold at the previous world championships in 2001 in St Anton in Austria. She died in October that year from injuries sustained in a training crash.

Michaela Dorfmeister

Dorfmeister had a great season last winter, winning the overall World Cup title, but she had failed to live up to high expectations at the Olympics, leaving Salt Lake City empty-handed.

Pointing at her boots after making up for that, she said a special trick had helped her in her golden run down the Engiadina piste.

"I was wearing my giant slalom boots," the gifted all-rounder said after boosting her confidence for the events to come.

"They enabled me to ski with a better feeling and be more aggressive."

By Patrick Vignal, Reuters, 03.02.2003

ST. MORITZ, Switzerland - Michaela Dorfmeister of Austria edged Americans Kirsten Clark and Jonna Mendes to win the super giant slalom Monday at the world championships.

The U.S. women made a surprisingly strong showing after failing to record a top-three finish in the Super G this season on the World Cup circuit.

After just two races at the world championships, the Americans have three medals — one short of the proclaimed goal for the entire two weeks. Bode Miller shared the silver in a Super G on Sunday.

Clark finished 0.02 seconds behind the winner and Mendes took the bronze, trailing the Austrian by 0.15 seconds.

In other U.S. results, Caroline Lalive went off course and failed to finish a race for the ninth straight time at the Olympics or worlds, and Julia Mancuso came in 21st.

On a sunny and windy day, Dorfmesiter was timed in 1 minute, 27.48 seconds on the Engiadina course for her second world title. She won the downhill two years ago.

Breaking into tears, she kissed the snow, her skis, her fist and punched the air.

"It was a dream start to the championship," said Dorfmeister, who captured the Super G bronze medal at the 1999 worlds in Vail, Colo.

Kirsten Clark, Michaela Dorfmeister and Jonna Mendes

The Austrian had not won another Super G this season, finishing third in Val d'Isere, France, at the beginning of December.

She was a Super G silver medalist at the 1998 Olympics and the winner of the overall World Cup title last season.

Austria has swept the two Super G races, the opening events of the worlds. Stephan Eberharter won the men's race, and Hermann Maier shared the silver with Miller.

Clark's previous best Super G results this season were fourth-place finishes in Aspen, Colo., and Lake Louise, Alberta.

"To be finally standing on the podium at a world championship means a lot," Clark said. "I knew I was capable of doing something today."

Clark, of Raymond, Maine, has been strong in the downhill all season.

"The key was good inspection of the run," she said. "And I had a good course report from the coaches, changing my line a little bit and just charging."

Mendes, of Heavenly, Calif., had a previous best this season of eighth place in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.

With two Canadians, Genevieve Simard and Melanie Turgeon, finishing fourth and sixth, North Americans had four racers in the top six. Alexandra Meissnitzer of Austria was fifth.

Carole Montillet of France, the Olympic downhill champion, finished 14th. Montillet had been hoping to succeed late teammate Regine Cavagnoud, who was killed in a crash during practice in October 2001. She is the only champion from two years ago not competing in St. Moritz.

Olympic champion Daniela Ceccarelli of Italy failed to finish, sliding off the course.

By NESHA STARCEVIC, Associated Press Writer, 03.02.2003