LAKE LOUISE, Alberta (Reuters) - After a stumbling start to the season, Stephan Eberharter will look for the defense of his overall World Cup title to pick up speed this weekend with the first downhill and super G of the new campaign.

 Stephan Eberharter

With just 32 points from the first three races, the hard-nosed Austrian veteran has arrived in the heart of the Canadian Rockies in desperate need of a good result if he is to keep arch-rival American Bode Miller in his sights.

Runner-up in the overall standings last season, Miller has made no secret of his desire to seize Eberharter's crown, the cocky American underlining his intentions with back-to-back giant slalom victories in Soelden, Austria and Park City.

Primarily a technical specialist until last season, Miller has blossomed into the consummate all round skier, winning silver in the super-G and gold in giant slalom and combined at last year's world championships.

But the 26-year-old American's resume does not yet include a World Cup downhill win. In fact Miller, who underwent corrective eye surgery in late October in an effort to help improve his depth perception in the speed events, has yet to even reach the podium in ski racing's glamour event.

"I'm psyched to race downhill again," said Miller, who is trying to become the first U.S. skier in 20 years to win a World Cup overall title.

"I am really comfortable in the giant slalom skiing but to win the overall World Cup I've got to perform consistently in the speed events."

For Eberharter, one of the World Cup's most fearless and determined competitors, the downhill has been the cornerstone of his career.

TOP AGAIN

Last season the 34-year-old captured nine races, six downhill victories propelling him to the top of the rankings for a second consecutive year.

With 14 World Cup downhill wins, Eberharter entered this season sitting fourth on the all-time list trailing only Franz Klammer (25), Peter Mueller (19) and Franz Heinzer (15).

Compared to his storming start to last season when he won five of the first seven races, including the first three downhills, Eberharter has been slow to hit form after missing almost five weeks of training with the flu and minor injuries.

Eberharter, however, says he is under no pressure.

"My main goal is to win a third downhill title," said Eberharter. "I don't think so much about the overall World Cup which in fact comes by itself when you accumulate good results."

Eberharter also continues to downplay his rivalry with Hermann Maier, who he replaced as Austria's number one skier two seasons ago after a devastating motorcycle accident nearly cost the double Olympic champion his leg and career.

Maier was back on the top of the podium with a stunning super-G victory at Kitzbuehel last season but the Herminator arrives at Lake Louise, where he has a pair of super-G wins, still seeking the consistency that made him the World Cup's dominant skier.

But the racer to watch in Saturday's downhill could well be American Daron Rahlves, who posted top three finishes in six of the last seven downhills, including victories in Bormio and Kitzbuehel's famed Hahnenkamm.

By Steve Keating, Reuters, 28.11.2003