Bode Miller wins World Cup downhill

BORMIO, Italy — Bode Miller won the grueling Stelvio downhill Saturday for his first World Cup victory since breaking away from the U.S. Ski Team.

While the other favorites found trouble, Miller had a near-perfect run and covered the 2.03-mile course in 2 minutes, 0.57 seconds. The victory was the 26th of Miller's career, putting him within one win of matching Phil Mahre's record of 27 U.S. victories.

"It's a miracle really," Miller said. "If you want to make it down you've got to take it easy on some of the curves. I just tried to hold on at the end. I was out of gas."

Andreas Buder of Austria was 0.45 seconds behind, and Jan Hudec of Canada was third, 0.54 back.

After clashing with the U.S. federation over team rules, Miller decided to train and race on his own this season. Complying with International Ski Federation rules, he still wears a U.S. uniform when he skis, but puts on his own jacket with his personal sponsors as soon as he takes off his skis.

Miller hired John McBride from the U.S. team to be his head coach this season and brought in former U.S. coaches Forest Carey and Mike Kenney. Carey skied with Miller at the Carrabassett Valley Academy in Maine, and Kenney is his uncle.

Miller calls his breakaway squad "Team America."

McBride arrived in Bormio on Friday night after missing the last few races for the birth of his child.

"I think they were getting ready to kill me if I didn't win soon," Miller said of his team.

Among the pre-race favorites, Didier Cuche finished fourth. Top challenger Michael Walchhofer got thrown off course midway through his run and nearly crashed into the fence. He finished in a tie for 19th. Marco Buechel, another contender, also lost control and did not finish.

Walchhofer still holds a 230-204 lead over Cuche in the downhill standings. Miller moved to third with 183 points.

Andrej Jerman and Erik Guay, who both excelled in training, finished fifth and eighth respectively. Jerman was on course to win before losing more than a second on the lower section.

Benjamin Raich finished 28th to retain a 524-503 lead over Cuche in the overall standings. Miller jumped from seventh to fourth overall, with 406 points.

The Stelvio trails only Wengen, Switzerland, for the longest course on the World Cup circuit.

Unlike Wengen, though, the Stelvio bumps and jerks skiers from start to finish. The ski bottoms remain completely attached to the snow for only 12 seconds of the average 120-second run. The rest of the time, skiers are on their edges changing direction and executing turns and jumps.

Miller's last victory came in Wengen nearly a year ago.

"I tend to do better on the really tough courses," Miller said. "I focus more."

Miller won both the downhill and super-G here at the 2005 World Championships.

"I've always liked this course," he said. "It really challenges me."

Hudec won the silver medal in downhill at last season's worlds in Are, Sweden, and then won the opening downhill this season in Lake Louise, Alberta.

"This is really special, because Bormio is not a glider's course. The last 45 seconds you have to have it here," Hudec said, pointing to his heart.

Miller becomes the fourth American to post a top-three finish in the four downhills this season. The other three — Marco Sullivan, Steven Nyman and Scott Macartney — each had problems Saturday.

Sullivan finished 12th but could have been in the top 10 if not for a major error midway through his run that cost him a half-second. Nyman skied far off course and finished last and Macartney missed a gate and did not finish.

The Americans each congratulated Miller on the win.

Bormio is the site of the World Cup finals in March, meaning Miller will have another opportunity to win here.

"I hope so," he said. "But I don't know if I can do that again."

Andrew Dampf
The Associated Press
Aspen, CO Colorado
December 29, 2007

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Italy's Costazza wins women's slalom

LIENZ, Austria — Chiara Costazza of Italy won the slalom race Saturday for her first career World Cup victory while Lindsey Vonn of the United States finished 25th and lost her lead in the overall standings.

Costazza, who led after the first leg, finished her second run on the Hochstein course in 57.01 seconds for a combined time of 1 minute, 54.97 seconds.

Nicole Hosp of Austria took the lead in the overall standings with a second-place finish, 0.68 seconds behind Costazza. Tanja Poutiainen of Finland was third, 0.86 seconds behind.

Several favorites did not qualify for the second run — Julia Mancuso was 31st and slalom world champion Sarka Zahrobska was 37th.

Costazza is the first Italian in 10 years to win a women's World Cup slalom, and the first non-Austrian winner since Dec. 29, 2006, when Therese Borssen of Sweden won in Semmering, Austria.

Denise Karbon of Italy won the giant slalom on Friday.

"What a couple of great days for Italian skiing to end the year with," said Costazza, whose best previous World Cup result was third in slalom earlier this season. "I felt the pressure and was a bit nervous going into my second run, but just tried to do my best and avoid mistakes."

Hosp lost time halfway through her second leg as she briefly lost control and balanced on her right ski with her left leg up in the air.

"It's incredible to finish second after such an error," Hosp said. "After that, I just went down as fast as I possibly could. I am happy that it worked out fine."

Hosp was the only Austrian skier to finish in the top three at the four recent World Cup races in Austria — last week in St. Anton am Arlberg and this weekend.

Hosp leads the World Cup slalom standings with 305 points and the overall standings with 514 points.

Vonn dropped to second overall with 480 points, followed by Maria Riesch of Germany (450) and Mancuso (444).

"There was much pressure on us to do well in these home races, so one single podium finish is obviously a disappointing result," said Hosp, the defending overall World Cup champion. "However, it's great to end the year on top of the rankings, but I can't take anything for granted yet."

Some skiers weren't able to finish their runs on the tricky course.

Marlies Schild, who won two of three previous slalom races this season, had a fast start to the first leg but went out after losing control of a ski while turning in a sharp curve.

Anja Paerson had a few errors in the upper part of the course and quit the race shortly before the finish line. Kathrin Zettel also went out after sliding off the course halfway through her run.

Eric Willemsen
Associated Press
Aspen, CO Colorado
December 29, 2007