01/02/2004 14:01

Riesch, Montillet share victory in Super-G

HAUS IM ENNSTAL, Austria (AP) _ Maria Riesch of Germany and Carole Montillet of France shared victory in a World Cup Super-G Sunday in the tightest race of the season so far. It was the second win in three days for Riesch, who dominated the first of back-to-back downhills Friday only to suffer a high-speed crash Saturday. The 19-year-old German, starting with the No. 22 bib, posted a flawless run down the treacherous, 2,308-meter Krummholz course full of sharp curves and moguls, finishing in 1 minute, 25.04 seconds. Her time was later matched by Montillet. "It's absolutely unbelievable. It's like a miracle," said Riesch. "Thanks God I didn't suffer any injuries in the crash yesterday. I wasn't scared to go back to the slope today because the race wasn't so fast." Super-G world champion Michaela Dorfmeister of Austria finished third, 0.15 back. The series of races at Haus im Ennstal was marred by several serious accidents. Kirsten Clark of the United States, Regina Haeusl of Germany, Ingrid Rumpfhuber of Austria and Gabriela Martincova of the Czech Republic all suffered season-ending injuries in high-speed crashes. Martina Ertl of Germany fell halfway through Sunday's Super-G but miraculously recovered after sliding on her back for almost 50 meters and finished the race.

01/02/2004 13:45

Maier wins Sunday's super-G

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) _ Austrian star Hermann Maier won Sunday's super giant slalom to capture the World Cup title in the event and vault into the lead in overall standings with his third victory of the season. Racing on one of his favorite slopes where he captured his first career victory in 1997, Maier edged Pierre-Emmanuel Dalcin of France by .07 seconds to regain the title he had won four years in a row before a motorcycle accident nearly cost him his right leg in August 2001. In his first full season since coming back, Maier now has 922 points after picking up 100 for his victory. "It's the best of all of my World Cup wins," Maier said. "Who would have imagined that I would come back from all of that and win back the super-G title. It's a very emotional victory for me. "It's one of the most difficult courses here. I love to ski here, because I won my first race on this hill," Maier said. Maier was sidelined for 18 months after his accident, coming back late last seasons. Previous overall World Cup leader Benjamin Raich of Austria crashed heavily in the bottom half of the demanding Kandahar course and dropped to second place with 918. Austrian team officials said Raich suffered a concussion and may not be able to compete in next weekend's races. Maier mastered the sun-drenched, 2,270-meter-long course in one minute, 18.09 seconds. Dalcin had a time of 1:18.16 for his first podium finish. Tobias Gruenenfelder of Switzerland was third in 1:18.46, repeating his last year's finish here. "To be on the podium is a dream come true and to share it with Hermann Maier makes it even more special," Dalcin said. "I like this course." Maier gained the 45th victory of his career and is fourth in the all-time list, just one win behind Marc Girardelli of Luxembourg. A two-time Olympic champion in 1998, Maier is seeking his fourth overall World Cup title. This was Maier's fourth victory on the Garmisch slope, all but one coming in the super-G. Stephan Eberharter of Austria finished ninth and now cannot overtake Maier for the super-G title. By winning Saturday's downhill and finishing third in another downhill race Friday, Eberharter is still in contention for the overall title, which he won last season. He now has 871 points. Maier, who has also won a downhill and another super-G this season, has 420 points in the event. Lasse Kjus is 190 points behind, but the Norwegian is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury. It was Maier's fifth super-G World Cup title. He has finished in the top three in all five super-G races so far this season. "I would love to win the overall World Cup, but I have not included it in my plans. It is my comeback season and I am actually surprised about leading the standings," Maier said. Daron Rahlves of the United States, who had been another contender for the super-G title, ruined his chances by finishing 14th Sunday.

01/02/2004 13:29

Ladies standing disciplines

Downhill:

GOETSCHL 580
GERG 517
MONTILLET 464
DORFMEISTER 334

Slalom:

PAERSON 580
SCHILD 325
HOSP ...

01/02/2004 12:25

Men standing disciplines

Downhill:

EBERHARTER 591
RAHALVES 453
MAIER 408
WALCHHOFER 405

Slalom:

RAICH 382
PALANDER 375BR> SCHONEFELDER 355
ROCCA 310 ...

01/02/2004 09:34

McCarty bound for World Cup Finals?

"I haven't been doing World Cups that long and these people are really good. I'm psyched to be up here I was," she said. Despite missing four World Cup downhills, McCarty appears to be on the verge of qualifying for World Cup Finals, which is for the top 25. Her two DHs moved her into 23rd place.

31/01/2004 14:15

Kostner wins downhill

HAUS IM ENNSTAL, Austria (AP) _ Italy's Isolde Kostner won a women's downhill Saturday for her first World Cup victory in more than two years. Kostner, who finished second in the first of back-to-back downhills on the demanding Krummholz slope Friday, clocked 1 minute, 39.31 seconds. Austria's Renate Goetschl was second, 0.35 seconds behind, and took the lead in the overall standings, 35 points ahead of Sweden's Anja Paerson. Switzerland's Fraenzi Aufdenblatten finished third in 1:39.90. American Alison Powers set the best intermediate time but lost a pole and missed the penultimate gate. Kostner, a former Super-G world champion and triple Olympic medalist, recorded her 15th World Cup victory and her first since November 2001 when she won back-to-back races in Lake Louise, Canada. A year later, she crashed in a training run in Lake Louise and suffered several injuries, including a severe concussion. "I'm so relieved I managed to prove I still have the same class," Kostner said. "I felt I was getting better all the time but thanks to my second place yesterday, I was all cool today." The 28-year-old said she could still feel the head injuries she suffered in Lake Louise. "I had to fight it all summer and am now coping with it," she said. Kostner said she was looking forward to Sunday's Super-G, her other favorite discipline. "I hope the Super-G tomorrow will be fast as well. Downhill is certainly my best discipline, but now that I have finally won again, anything can happen," she said. Goetschl, who hails from the town of Obdach, one hour away from Haus im Ennstal, said she had mixed feelings about her second-place finish. "I wanted to emulate my countryman Stephan Eberharter, who was third in Garmisch on Friday and won the downhill today. But it did not really work out." Friday's winner, Maria Riesch of Germany, crashed but wasn't hurt.

31/01/2004 14:10

Eberharter wins Saturday's downhill

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) _ Stephan Eberharter led a 1-2 Austrian finish to win a men's downhill Saturday ahead of Olympic gold medalist Fritz Strobl and move into second place in overall World Cup standings. Eberharter, who is the defending overall champion, also stretched his lead in World Cup downhill standings with a blazing run down the sun-drenched Kandahar course for his third victory of the season. "It was a very tough race, everyone really fought all the way," said Eberharter, who won a downhill here last year as well. "When I crossed the line, I didn't think I'd won." The Austrian, who finished third in Friday's downhill race, mastered the treacherous 3,455-meter long course in one minute, 58.70 seconds to win one day later. Eberharter now has 28 career wins, 17 of them in downhill races. He was coming off a triumph in Kitzbuehel, Austria, giving him two victories on two classic downhill courses a week apart. Strobl, who was fourth Friday, finished in 1:58.79. "The more difficult the course, the faster I seem to be," Strobl said. "I lost it at the bottom, in the last turn." Alessandro Fattori of Italy, who missed last season with an injury, placed third in 1:59.15. "I like difficult, demanding courses. I lost time in the jump, but I am really happy with this result," he said. Friday's winner Didier Cuche of Switzerland was ninth. Daron Rahlves of the United States, who was second Friday, made a mistake in the upper half of the course and finished 14th, after making the top three in his previous four races, including a super-G win in Kitzbuehel. "When you are tired, you tend to make mistakes," said Rahlves, who has been battling a cold. "It's not always smart to take too many risks. When you don't have a lot of physical energy, especially on a hill like this, it's difficult to do anything." "You can't conserve anywhere on the course, if you pull back, you are out. It's a fight the whole way down." Eberharter now leads the downhill standings with 591 points, while rahlves has 453 in second place. Another Swiss, Didier Defago, was fourth and superstar Hermann Maier was in three-way tie for fifth with two other Austrians, Christoph Gruber and Hannes Trinkle. Maier, in his first full season after a motorcycle accident that nearly cost him his right leg, finished fifth for the second day in a row. Benjamin Raich of Austria, who doesn't race downhill, remained in the lead in overall World Cup standings with 918 points. Eberharter now has 842. A victory is worth 100 points. Lasse Kjus of Norway, who is out for the season with a knee injury, remained third at 824. Maier, a two-time Olympic champion and three-time overall World Cup winner, dropped one place to fourth at 822. A super-G race is scheduled for Sunday.

31/01/2004 09:19

Rahlves battling fatigue

Conceding he was "a little sick," Rahlves explained, "It was a really tough week last week, on the hill and off the hill. I'm playing catch-up right now with my health. I felt pretty tired at the top. "I tried to punch it real hard at the top and save a little bit for the bottom.

31/01/2004 09:13

Clark is third top skier injured in Haus

Clark was the final U.S. skier to go out. Lindsey Kildow (Vail, CO) crashed off the same jump that caught Clark near the first timing interval on the Krummholz course. Libby Ludlow (Bellevue, WA) went down in the midsection. Clark crashed and was caught in the safety netting.

31/01/2004 09:13

Video session helped McCarty solved problems

After having some problems in the two training runs, she watched videos showed by the coaching staff Thursday night and made notes on how to correct her racing. "I made a couple of mistakes in the training runs and I cleaned up what I had to," she said.

30/01/2004 14:51

Alpine star Kjus' season over after knee operation

OSLO, Norway (AP) _ Alpine skiing champion Lasse Kjus' season has been spoiled by a knee injury, his national team doctor said after operating on the Norwegian on Friday. Kjus, 33, injured his knee last week in Kitzbuehel, after winning the first of two downhill races in the Austrian resort.

30/01/2004 14:25

Riesch gets first win, Clark crashes

HAUS IM ENNSTAL, Austria (AP) _ Germany's Maria Riesch won a women's downhill on Friday for her first World Cup victory, while American Kirsten Clark crashed badly and was taken to hospital by helicopter. Riesch mastered the 3,107-meter Krommholz slope, one of the longest and most demanding on the women's circuit, in 1 minute, 39.30 seconds after already setting the best time in training. Italy's Isolde Kostner finished second in 1:39.76, ahead of Austria's Renate Goetschl, who clocked 1:39.78 and kept her lead in the downhill standings. Hilde Gerg of Germany finished fourth, ahead of the United States' Bryna McCarty.

30/01/2004 13:54

Cuche wins Friday's downhill ahead of Rahlves

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) _ Didier Cuche gave Switzerland its first World Cup victory of the season when he won Friday's downhill ahead of Daron Rahlves of the United States. Cuche mastered the sun-drenched Kandahar course in one minute, 59.49 seconds for his fifth career victory. Rahlves kept his streak of podium finishes. The American won last week's Super-G in Kitzbuehel, Austria, and was second and third in a pair of downhill races there. His time Friday was 1:59.57. Austria's Stephan Eberharter, who won one of the Kitzbuehel downhills, was third in 1:59.70. He remained in the lead in downhill standings. Fritz Strobl, the reigning Olympic downhill champion, was fourth, ahead of fellow Austrian Hermann Maier. Maier, a two-time Olympic champion, is in his first full season after nearly losing a leg in a motorcycle accident. The Austrian superstar won his first race in Garmisch in 1997. Maier is seeking his fourth overall World Cup title. Benjamin Raich of Austria, who doesn't race downhills, stayed in the lead in overall World Cup standings. Cuche gave a badly needed lift to the struggling Swiss team, once a major power in skiing but winless this season until Friday. It was his second career downhill win, after a 1998 triumph in Kitzbuehel. Friday's race replaced a downhill that had be called off in Wengen, Switzerland, because of bad weather. Another downhill is slated for Saturday, with a super-G scheduled for Sunday.

30/01/2004 08:29

Maier comes back to one of his favorite slopes

GARMISCH-PARTENKRICHEN (AP) _ It could be a good weekend for Hermann Maier on one of his favorite slopes. The Austrian superstar could be at the top of the World Cup standings by Sunday afternoon, after three races on the demanding Kandahar course.

30/01/2004 07:30

Rumpfhuber injured in bad crash

HAUS IM ENNSTAL, Austria (AP) _ Austrian downhill star Ingrid Rumpfhuber lost control of her skis during a practice run on the Krummholz slope Thursday and suffered a compound fracture on her lower left leg.

29/01/2004 12:06

Ivica Kostelic undergoes surgery in Swiss clinic after a bad crash in slalom

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) _ Croatian skier Ivica Kostelic underwent knee surgery in a Swiss clinic Wednesday, ruling him out for the rest of the season. The reigning slalom world champion injured his right knee after a terrible crash in a World Cup slalom race a day earlier in Schladming, Austria.

28/01/2004 22:02

Haeusl out for rest of the season

HAUS, Austria (AP) _ German skier Regina Haeusl tore ligaments in her left knee during a practice session Wednesday and will be sidelined for the rest of the season. The 30-year-old Haeusl, whose personal best this season is 13th place in St. Moritz, Switzerland, was flown by helicopter to Germany.

28/01/2004 09:00

Miller takes delay in stride, finishes fourth in World Cup Slalom

SCHLADMING, Austria (AP) _ Bode Miller's entourage was furious about the way a long delay ahead of their skier's final run was handled on Austrian turf. Miller, in his usual nonchalant manner, was not.

27/01/2004 23:02

Raich wins World Cup slalom, Kostelic crashes

SCHLADMING, Austria (AP) _ Benjamin Raich of Austria won a men's World Cup slalom race Tuesday, for a record third win on the famous Planai course. Raich was only third in the opening run and trailing by 1.02 behind leader Bode Miller. But inspired by the roar of more than 41,000 fans echoing across the mountain, Raich attacked the floodlit course to finish with a winning two-run combined time of 1 minute, 41.67 Raich is the only skier with three wins at on the Planai, considered the most difficult slalom course on the World Cup circuit. "This is the greatest day in my life," said Raich, after taking over the lead of the overall standings again. "It's a dream come true. I cannot believe I have actually won, although I knew I could do it. "The second run was actually easier. I had a good feeling. Each win is wonderful, but winning in front of my home fans is fantastic." Italian youngster Manfred Moelgg had a similarly impressive second leg, climbing from sixth to second in 1:42.24. World Cup slalom leader Kalle Palander of Finland, the winner of three of six slaloms this season, third in 1:42.25. The Finn had finished only eighth in the first leg. Miller, who was leading after the first leg, settled for fourth place in 1:42.37. The American, who was seeking to end a two-year victory drought, was forced to wait 15 minutes in the start hut before his run, after Ivica Kostelic crashed on the course and was taken the down the slope in a sled. "In slalom you are always bound to make a mistake and you can drop from first to last," Miller said. "It's hard to do, especially here. I was always confident and ready to do it." Miller has not won a slalom since triumphing here exactly two years ago. Though he has dominated the giant slalom, Miller has failed to finish four of the season's six slalom races. He went out in three speed races in Beaver Creek and veered off course in a giant slalom in Flachau. Croatian team officials said Kostelic's shoulder was injured quite seriously but were unsure what exactly was wrong yet. Raich now tops the overall standings with 918 points, overtaking Lasse Kjus of Norway, who has 824. Miller's fourth place finish boosted him into third place in the overall rankings with 751, putting him past Hermann Maier, on 732.

27/01/2004 12:13

Hosp out for season, surgery went well

INNSBRUCK, Austria (AP) _ Injured Austrian skier Nicole Hosp is out for the season after breaking her ankle while jogging, a doctor said. Hosp, 20, was recovering and upbeat Tuesday after successful ankle surgery at Innsbruck's University Clinic. Hosp broke her ankle while jogging.

27/01/2004 09:29

Paerson roots for Swedish handball team after winning races in Slovenia

VELENJE, Slovenia (AP) _ Swedish ski star Anja Paerson did not party after winning the World Cup slalom and giant slalom races this weekend in Slovenia. Instead, she rooted for her country's handball team at the European Championships.

26/01/2004 12:07

Grandi posts historical Canadian second

KITZBUEHEL, Austria (AP) _ Two good omens and a thwack on the head put Thomas Grandi on the podium for the first time in seven years Sunday in a men's World Cup slalom. The 31-year-old finished second behind winner and defending World Cup slalom champion Kalle Palander to give Canadian men their first ever slalom podium. In fact, it was the best result ever for Canada's men in any World Cup technical event. Palander charged down the fabled Ganslern course in a two-run aggregate time of one minute, 30.63 seconds for his third slalom victory of the season and to jump into the lead of the discipline standings. Skiing in the top seed for the first time, Grandi was fastest in the opening leg and maintained his cool the second trip down. He preserved his advantage until the bottom section of the course, where he lost some valuable time to cross a maddening 0.08 behind Palander. "It's been seven years. It's been a long journey back to the podium," said Grandi, whose only other World Cup podium was a third place in Park City in 1997. "I've been chasing this a long time. "It's a great feeling. I have had good second runs previously, but never a good opener. I wasn't nervous at all this morning, but before my second run, I certainly was." The best World Cup slalom result for Canadian men until now was a fourth place finish by Scott Henderson, who was fourth in Franconia in the inaugural year of the World Cup in 1967. The previous best in any technical event was also produced by Grandi, who placed third in a giant slalom in 1997 in Park City. Grandi had an inkling the day had something in store for him. Before the first run, he rode up the mountain in Ken Read's gondola, named for him after the Crazy Canuck's downhill victory here in 1980. "It was a coincidence," Grandi said. "I thought it was quite an omen. "The in the second run I went up in Alberto Tomba's gondola. He is a big idol of mine, my hero. It set me up for a great day." It marked the first time Grandi ever led after the first leg. The Canadian is better known for making remarkable comebacks in the second leg, especially when he is angry about a poor first run. Last week in Wengen, the Canadian posted his previous best slalom result, rallying to finish fifth after crossing a disappointing 26th in the opening leg. He made another stunning comeback in a giant slalom at Alta Badia, in December, crossing 25th in the opening leg then coming back to finish sixth. The Canadian used a different kind of anger to fuel his performance Sunday after hitting his head in a fall on his way to the Hahnenkamm mountain gondola before the race. "I was pretty angry today, too," Grandi said. "I was walking to the gondola and I slipped on some snow. "I fell on my back with my feet in the air and hit my head on the cement. If I hadn't been wearing my helmet I would have had a concussion for sure. "I went ballistic for a while, I was so mad. That pulled the aggression out of me. I used it to my advantage."

26/01/2004 12:05

Sweden's Paerson back on top of World Cup

MARIBOR, Slovenia (AP) _ Swedish ski star Anja Paerson expects this season's race for the overall title in the women's World Cup to be a cat-and-mouse game between her and Austrian speed specialist Renate Goetschl. Paerson, a technical specialist, and Goetschl, who thrives on speed, have been exchanging leadership in the standings as the circuit switches from the gate disciplines to the speed events. Paerson, who had a strong grip on the lead before Goetschl took advantage of six straight speed events, is on top again after winning back-to-back titles at this weekend's giant slalom and slalom in Maribor. With 998 points and a slender 105-point cushion going into another bout of speed races, she doesn't expect to stay on top for too long. "There are a lot of races to go and I think we are going to switch in turns for the leadership till the very end," Paerson said. "For sure, Goetschl will work her way back after Haus im Ennstal, (Austria)" she added, noting the site of two downhills and a super-G scheduled next week. Still, Paerson's dominance in the slaloms was awe-striking. She won Saturday's giant slalom by .98 seconds and then whipped her nearest rival in the slalom by a staggering 1.24 seconds. "Anja combined two perfect runs today. She skied very fast not making any mistakes. We made too many," runner-up Marlie Schild of Austria said. Nicole Hosp, also from Austria, came in third, 1.35 seconds off the winning pace. The skies were overcast but the conditions were excellent on Pohorje mountain, a backdrop for Slovenia's second-largest city. Paerson carved a .48 second lead in the first leg and was already 1.14 seconds ahead at the split of the second run before she further increased the margin in the closing stretch. "It was really fun and I'm really happy with the way I'm skiing," Paerson said. She slumped to the ground in the finish area, letting her skis slide through the snow until she reached a standstill. The victory was her 17th career title. Six alone coming from wins at Maribor. "I feel like home here, like there is a special bond," the 22-year-old said, likening the course at Pohorje to the one in her hometown in Sweden, which happens to also be the birthplace of ski great Ingemar Stenmark. "The angle here is just like the slope in Taernaby, where I grew up. It's steep and I can really attack it." Hosp, who is having her best season on the circuit, snapped Paerson's unbeaten run in the slalom this season in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy. She was delighted just to be on the podium this time after a terrible spill in the giant slalom a day earlier. "Everything is hurting, my neck, my back, my shoulder, my knee. But I tried to forget this," she said. German veteran Martina Ertl had similar misfortunes. She was looking light and fast after the first run, but crashed out of the race after recording the fastest split time _ an almost instant replay of her disappointing performance in the giant slalom.

26/01/2004 09:45

Miller Wins Kitz Combined

KITZBUEHEL, Austria (Jan. 25) - Bode Miller (Franconia, NH), skiing with controlled aggression in a snowstorm, collected his second combined victory of the season Sunday - and the 10th win of his career - as he finished fourth in a slalom concluding the 64th Hahnenkamm race weekend. Tom Rothrock (Cashmere, WA) equaled the best result of his career in ninth place and Chip Knight (Stowe, VT) was 26th. It was the second win in four days of racing in Kitzbuehel for the U.S. Ski Team on the weekend, the fourth podium following the triple top-3 showing by Daron Rahlves (Sugar Bowl, CA) who won Friday's super G, was third in a DH Thursday and second Saturday in the 64th Hahnenkamm downhill. Outdoor Life Network will carry coverage of the Hahnenkamm DH tonight at 5 p.m. ET with a rebroadcast Thursday night at 10 ET. The combined victory vaulted Miller into fourth in the overall points race - "Any one of seven or eight guys still could win the overall," Miller said - behind Lasse Kjus of Norway, who won Thursday's downhill. It also is the first U.S. victory in combined in Kitzbuehel since 1983 when Phil Mahre won (Bobby Cochran also won combined - in 1973).

25/01/2004 15:15

Palander wins to top slalom rankings, Grandi posts historical Canadian second

KITZBUEHEL, Austria (AP) _ Finland's Kalle Palander coped with flaring tendinitis, brand new skis and mounting pressure for a lack of results to win a World Cup slalom Sunday and take the lead in the discipline standings. It marked the first time a skier has won back-to-back slalom wins in Kitzbuehel since Marc Girardelli in 1985. "I heard rumors before the race that is was 15 years since Girardelli won the slalom two years in a row," Palander said. "So I wanted to do that. Even Alberto Tomba never did that. And he was my hero and I wanted to do something better than he did because I know I'll never get as many victories as him, that's for sure." Over his career, Tomba accumulated 50 World Cup wins. Palander has eight. The defending World Cup slalom champion twisted his way down the legendary Ganslernhang course in a two-run combined time of 1 minute, 30.63 seconds to post his third slalom victory this season. He also won a giant slalom in Alta Badia. Thomas Grandi returned to the podium for the first time in seven years, finishing second just 0.08 seconds behind for the first slalom podium ever by a Canadian man. In fact, it was the best result ever in any World Cup technical event by Canada's men. "It's a great feeling. I have had good second runs previously, but never a good opener," said Grandi, whose only other World Cup podium was a third place in Park City in 1997. "I was not nervous at all this morning, but before my second run, I certainly was." It marked the first time Grandi ever led after the first leg. He is better known for delivering stunning comebacks in the second run, particularly when he is angry with his first. Last week in Wengen, Grandi posted his previous best slalom result, crossing 26th in the opening leg and then rallying in the final run to place fifth. He made another defiant comeback in a giant slalom at Alta Badia, in December, crossing 25th in the opening leg then coming back to finish sixth. The Canadian drew on some anger again Sunday even before the opening run and managed to turn it into a podium finish. "I was pretty angry today, too," Grandi said. "I was walking to the gondola and I slipped on some snow," he said. "I fell on my back with my feet in the air and hit my head on the cement. If I hadn't been wearing my helmet I would have had a concussion for sure. "I went ballistic for a while, I was so mad. That pulled the aggression out of me. I used it to my advantage." The best World Cup slalom result for Canadian men until now was a fourth place finish by Scott Henderson, who was fourth in Franconia in the inaugural year of the World Cup in 1967. The previous best in any technical event was also produced by Grandi, who placed third in a giant slalom in 1997 in Park City. Rainer Schoenfelder of Austria kept home fans happy by placing third in 1:31.69 seconds. "Great series here in Kitz," Schoenfelder said. "I made two big mistakes in the second run and was very happy to win a podium." American Bode Miller delivered a strong second run to climb into fourth place from eighth. The result secured him the victory in the combined event, which added the time from Thursday's downhill to Sunday's slalom. He was seventh in the downhill. Winner of the combined event in Chamonix, as well, the American tops the combined standings with 200 points. "I'm one of the people who can truly appreciate how hard it is to do well in the Kitzbuehel downhill and then the slalom," Miller said. "Some people think it's a goofy event but on a course like this, it is especially challenging. This is the one to win." The week's points haul lifted Miller into fourth place in the overall standings, led by Lasse Kjus. Kjus leads with 824 points, Benjamin Raich is second on 818 with Hermann Maier sitting third on 732. Miller has 701. It marked Palander's third slalom victory this season. He also won the season-opener in Park City as well as a slalom in Flachau earlier this month. But things had recently soured for the Finn, who finished 16th at the classic French resort earlier this month before going off course in the opening run in Wengen last week, putting pressure on his shoulders. Palander was doubly having gambled on a new pair of skis he had never raced in before. To top it all, the Finn has been skiing with painful tendinitis in his right forearm from repetitive motion syndrome. "I had a bad result in Chamonix and I went out in Wengen so I had a very difficult start today. I was under a lot of pressure I must admit," said Palander. "I knew I needed to get points from this race otherwise I would not be able to defend my World Cup slalom title." The Finn was sitting second after the opening leg then delivered a stunning second effort his second trip down.

25/01/2004 13:00

Paerson wins Maribor slalom

MARIBOR, Slovenia (AP) _ Anja Paerson of Sweden won her third straight slalom Sunday to extend her lead in the overall World Cup standings. Paerson, who won the giant slalom here on Saturday, led after the first run by almost half a second and then stretched the gap to a whopping 1.24 seconds over her nearest rival, Austrian Marlies Schild. Nicole Hosp, also from Austria, came in third, 1.35 seconds off the winning pace. Paerson was already 1.14 seconds ahead at the split and managed to increase the margin at the closing stretch. Delighted by her run, she slumped to the ground as her skis carved through the snow to a standstill at the finish area. "It was really fun and I'm really happy with the way I'm skiing," she Paerson said. The skies were overcast but the conditions were excellent on Pohorje mountain, a backdrop for Slovenia's second-largest city. Paerson, 22, has won five titles at Maribor, including the last three slaloms in a row.

25/01/2004 12:33

Grandi leads after opening slalom run

KITZBUEHEL, Austria (AP) _ Thomas Grandi sat poised to record the first victory by a Canadian man in any World Cup technical event Sunday, posting the fastest time in the opening leg of a slalom. Grandi, better known for delivering stunning comebacks in the second leg, recorded the fastest time.

25/01/2004 10:33

Paerson leads Maribor slalom

MARIBOR, Slovenia (AP) _ World Cup overall leader Anja Paerson of Sweden was poised for a back-to-back title as she led in the first leg of a slalom race Sunday. Paerson, who won the giant slalom here on Saturday, blitzed down the icy Pohorje course in 49.78 seconds, beating Marlies Schild of Austria.

25/01/2004 00:50

Hoffmann scores first Swiss men's podium this season

KITZBUEHEL, Austria (AP) _ Desperation changed to relief in Ambrosi Hoffmann's face when he stepped onto the podium Saturday after a men's World Cup downhill. Hoffmann finished third in the downhill on the legendary Hahnenkamm causing a sigh of relief in his homeland. "We were very much under pressure. People in the streets even asked us what was wrong," he told Austrian television. "I have also had a tough season, but this weekend here is a dream come true." It was the first podium finish of the season for his team. Stephan Eberharter of Austria won the race in 1 minute, 55.48 seconds, followed by Daron Rahlves of the United States. "We didn't realize at the start of the season all the things that weren't going well, and when we saw what was wrong it was too late," Hoffmann said. Before Saturday, Didier Cuche's fifth place finish in a Super G in Beaver Creek, Colorado, had been the best result of the Swiss men's team this season. "I was very emotional waiting in the finish. It took a long time to find out I was going to be on the podium, and then a long time to realize what I had done," Hoffmann said. It was the second top three finish in Hoffmann's career. He took second place in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, Austria, two years ago. "It was different back then," he said. "The team was in much better shape and my result was certainly most surprising for me. This time, I felt I had a chance," The 27-year-old came in seventh in Friday's Super G. Swiss teammate Didier Cuche crossed the line in seventh place, followed by Paul Accola in 13th and Bruno Kernen in 15th. "I think this result today will trigger something on the team and we'll probably go on to get better results now," said Hoffmann, who was nearly 1 1/2 seconds behind Eberharter, showing there is more work to be done. "I worked hard to get this podium not only for me but the whole team," Hoffmann said. "If we focus on our skills and train hard, we might kick the Austrians off the podium soon." The Swiss team's last winner was Michael von Gruenigen in a giant slalom in Yongpyong, South Korea in March 2003.

25/01/2004 00:29

Eberharter is back but talking of leaving again

KITZBUEHEL, Austria (AP) _ Austrian Stephan Eberharter showed he was back Saturday, winning the World Cup most prestigious downhill. However, he was already talking about leaving again. The 34-year-old Austrian, who demolished the rest of the field by winning with a stunning 1.21 margin, reveled in the feat, which could be his very last on the classic Hahnenkamm mountain. "I'm back at the top and it feels great," said Eberharter, who had been mired in a slump the last couple of months, struggling with a throat problem. "I've dealt with my sickness. I'm back in business. There were some people who doubted me but I always believed in myself and that's what counts. "I'm going for the downhill globe now," added the Austrian, who moved into the discipline lead with his victory. But no sooner were the words out of his mouth that Eberharter was already talking about his retirement next year. "I'm definitely at my best again but I know myself. I have a lot of experience," said the reigning World Cup overall, downhill and super-G champion after collecting his 27th World Cup victory. "In two months I'll be 35. That's pretty old in this business. I feel fit but once you decide to continue you have to go 100 percent. "Of course I always think I can do better and get more wins. But if you kept on like that you would never stop." Eberharter, who began to show signs of his former self two weeks ago when he won a downhill in Chamonix, France, charged down the 3.3 kilometer Streif course in a winning time of one minute, 55.48 seconds. Last year, the Austrians were shut out from the podium in front of their home fans, denting national pride. This time, the home hero sent some 42,000 fans with horns, bells, flares and torches, into a delirium, winning with the fourth-largest margin ever in a downhill in Kitzbuehel. Rahlves _ who won Friday's super-G and finished third in a replacement downhill Thursday _ settled for second place in 1:56.69. Switzerland's Ambrosi Hoffmann was a surprise third in 1:56.78, recording his team's first podium finish this season. Favorites Hermann Maier of Austria, runnerup in Friday's super-G, and overall World Cup leader Lasse Kjus of Norway, the winner of Thursday's downhill, were unable to keep up and finished in ninth and 11th position, respectively.

24/01/2004 15:24

Canadian Hume flown to hospital after crash

KITZBUEHEL, Austria (AP) _ Canadian Jeff Hume suffered a bruised chest and a concussion Saturday after crashing in a World Cup downhill on the notorious Hahnenkamm. Hume was going to be flown to a hospital in nearby St. Johann for a head scan, officials said.

24/01/2004 15:18

Eberharter Wins, Rahlves 2nd

KITZBUEHEL, Austria (Jan. 25) - Austrian Stephan Eberharter, in what he says will be his final season of racing, took the air out of a bid by Daron Rahlves (Sugar Bowl, CA) for a second straight Hahnenkamm downhill win Saturday with a brilliant run that brought victory by more than a second. Eberharter won the 64th Hahnenkamm in 1:55.48 with Rahlves on the podium for the third straight day, finishing second; Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) tied for 16th and Jake Fiala (Frisco, CO) was 29th. Outdoor Life Network, which covers the World Cup all season, will broadcast the race tonight at 7 ET with a rebroadcast Sunday at 5 p.m. ET and Thursday at 10 p.m. ET. Rahlves, who won Friday's super G and was third Thursday in a make-up downhill, led every timing interval as he came down the 3.3K course. But the popular Californian's leading time of 1:56.69, which sent the crowd of upwards of 100,000 into screams of delight and horn-blaring, lasted just one more runner. Austrian Michael Walchhofer, skiing 29th, was next and he finished more than a half-second back of Rahlves, who collected his third podium in 48 hours.

24/01/2004 15:11

Rahlves: "I give [Eberharter] my hand..."

And then Eberharter, who lost Thursday's DH by .01 to Norwegian Lasse Kjus and has won the last two World Cup overall, downhill and super G titles, mauled the Streif for the 27th victory of his career...and the festive crowd went into greater gales of jubilation.

24/01/2004 15:11

McBride: "Eberharter's a great champion"

U.S. DH/SG Head Coach John McBride echoed his podium performer: "Stephan's a great champion. I don't know what Daron could've done today to beat him. 'D' had a great run but Stephan really nailed it. There's no arrogance in him, he's always there to congratulate you when you do better, such a good skier.

24/01/2004 15:02

Paerson rallies back to win giant slalom

MARIBOR, Slovenia (AP) _ World champion Anja Paerson of Sweden rallied to win her second World Cup giant slalom of the season on Saturday. Paerson was second after the first leg but posted a smashing second run to finish in a combined 2 minutes, 18.27 seconds, .98 ahead of Austrian veteran Michaela Dorfmeister, the 2000 winner. Maria Jose Contreras of Spain repeated her best career result, coming third 1.23 seconds behind. Veterans Martina Ertl of Germany and Sonja Nef of Switzerland, both two-time winners at Maribor, crashed out. The weather was cold but the skies were clear above Pohorje mountain, which sits in the backdrop of Maribor, Slovenia's second largest city after the capital Ljubljana. The track was well-groomed and tightly packed, allowing good race conditions for most of the competitors. Austrian speed specialist Renate Goetschl led the overall World Cup standings coming into the race with 869 points, 71 ahead of gate specialist Paerson, who hopes to narrow the gap as the circuit continues here with a slalom to be held on Sunday.

24/01/2004 11:09

Dorfmeister leads giant slalom

MARIBOR, Slovenia (AP) _ Austrian veteran Micheala Dorfmeister posted a near-flawless first run to lead the field in a women's World Cup giant slalom Saturday. Dorfmeister, who won here four years ago, blitzed down the icy Pohorje course in 1 minute and 7.9 seconds.

24/01/2004 08:18

Rahlves seeking to repeat last year's Kitz victory, and make Maier "eat his words"

KITZBUEHEL, Austria (AP) _ Daron Rahlves badly wants to defend his World Cup downhill title on Hahnenkamm mountain on Saturday after the great Hermann Maier rubbished the American's victory last year. Rahlves' joy at a historic win in the super-G on Hahnenkamm on Friday _ the first by a non-Austrian.

24/01/2004 00:24

Rahlves had unsettling concerns

Wednesday's downhill training run, which was delayed more than two hours by the weather, had been frustrating. "I didn't have a very good training run here," the 30-year-old Rahlves explained. "It was tough. I felt I was getting soft, I wasn't on my game at all.

23/01/2004 15:39

Friedman suffers concussion, to miss next races

KITZBUEHEL, Austria (AP) _ American Bryon Friedman suffered a concussion during a World Cup super-G on Friday on the famed Hahnenkamm mountain and will be sidelined for a week, team officials said. Friedman fell on his hip and slid full speed into the netting part way down the notorious Streif course.

23/01/2004 13:30

Rahlves wins super-G, dethrone's Maier

KITZBUEHEL, Austria (AP) _ American Daron Rahlves won a men's World Cup super-G on the notorious Hahnenkamm mountain Friday, dethroning home favorite Hermann Maier. Rahlves, third in Thursday's downhill, surged down the steep and treacherous Streif course in one minute, 23.08 seconds, improving on the previous day's third place finish in a downhill. Maier, who had won the three previous times he raced the super-G here, was runner-up, missing the victory by a wafer-thin .03 seconds. Last year Maier had posted a stunning comeback victory in the super-G, celebrating his first win after an 18-month absence due to a motorcycle accident that nearly cost him a leg. Michael Walchhofer of Austria was third in one minute, 23.47 seconds. Rahlves has always enjoyed success in Kitzbuehel and on Saturday will be seeking to repeat last year's victory in the downhill, considered the most prestigious on the World Cup circuit. This time Rahlves is hoping to win on a full-length course. He won a sprint downhill here last year. Organizers had been forced to start lower because of bad weather.

23/01/2004 09:16

Rahlves on Kitzbuehel podium again

KITZBUEHEL, Austria (AP) _ On race day morning, Daron Rahlves ambled up the jagged Hahnenkamm in the gently swaying gondola named after him. Minutes later, he streaked down the notorious mountain in lightning speed, to finish third behind winner Lasse Kjus of Norway and runner-up Stephan Eberharter. "It feels great," Rahlves said. "Any time you're on a podium here, or in any downhill, but especially in Kitzbuehel, it's great." It marked Rahlves' third podium on the dreaded Streif course, considered the most treacherous on the World Cup circuit. After placing third in 2001, Rahlves upped the ante even further last year, becoming the first American man to win a World Cup downhill here. The feat earned him a gondola with his name painted on it, which will forever ride up the majestic Hahnenkamm with the likes of other past champions Franz Klammer, Karl Schranz, Hermann Maier and Jean-Claude Killy. "After the training run I waited until I could take my gondola back up. It was a good ride in gondola 91," Rahlves said. "It's cool to ride your own gondola." Racers ran a mini-training session on the top part of the course just before the race, after Wednesday's practice run was started lower because of poor weather. The extra training on the upper part of the course meant the race was able to be run from top to bottom. Rahlves said racing aggressively on the upper midsection was the key to his 12th career podium. The American found speed at the top and maintained it. "Where I did really well was in Steilhang (upper midsection). I skied super clean," he said. "I need to be carrying the speed into the flats. "I felt a little uncomfortable with the tight line at the bottom, but that paid off, skiing the way I did on the bottom." Skiers are put to the test right from the very start, speeding through the Mausefalle (Mousetrap), one of the most spectacular drops on the circuit with a 60 degree pitch, which includes a gravity-defying turn, giving skiers blurring speed as they head into the treacherous Steilhang. Racers must then keep a line near the middle of the slope on the Steilhang, a difficult feat as they traverse the section at speeds around 100 kph (62 mph) while fighting the natural fall line, or gravity. The difficult Laerchenschuss and tricky Hausbergkante corner near the bottom of the hill continue to challenge skiers before they head into the final schuss at speeds of about 121 kph (75 mph). Thursday's downhill was a replacement race for one which was moved from Bormio, to Chamonix and then Wengen and finally to the classic Austrian resort because of repeated bad weather. This means in theory, Rahlves can still defend his victory here with the traditional Hahnenkamm downhill on Saturday. It would also allow him the chance to win on the full length course. His victory last year was in a so-called sprint downhill, shortened because of bad weather. "I've got something to prove," Rahlves said. "This is the race of the year. I'm always charged up and excited to be skiing this hill. I was ready to put the hammer down and ski aggressively. "I'm super satisfied with the way it turned out but there's still nothing like winning here, so I'm ready to come back Saturday." Kjus covered the full-length 3.3-kilometer (2.05-mile) course in 1:58.78, a maddening .01 ahead of Eberharter. Rahlves clocked 1:58.98. His teammate Bode Miller finished seventh in 1:59.62. Becoming the sixth skier to win in the six downhills this season, Kjus reclaimed the lead in the World Cup overall points lead, overtaking Austrian technical specialist Benjamin Raich. Austrian Michael Walchhofer leads the discipline standings with 345. Eberharter is second on 331, while Kjus sits third on 292. Hermann Maier is fourth on 289 and Rahlves is fifth with 275. "It's becoming exciting in the points," Rahlves said. Thursday's downhill will also count toward a combined race this weekend, along with Sunday's slalom. Racing continues Thursday with a super-G and a downhill on Friday.

22/01/2004 13:20

Kjus wins first race on Streif

KITZBUEHEL, Austria (AP) _ Capping a remarkable return to form this season, Norwegian veteran Lasse Kjus posted his first World Cup downhill victory in over four years Thursday to regain the lead of the overall rankings. Experience prevailed over youth on the notorious Hahnenkamm mountain, with Kjus skiing a near-perfect line to cross in 1 minute, 58.78 seconds, a wafer-thin .01 ahead of Austria's Stephan Eberharter. "It is incredible to win the race by one-hundredth of a second," Kjus said. "I have capitalized on my experience. After all, I have been in the business for some time. "It feels wonderful to be fit and back on form again." Kjus's last downhill victory dated back to March 1999 when he won in Sierra Nevada. It was a maddening result for Eberharter, the reigning World Cup overall, downhill and super-G champion, who was a strong favorite heading into the race and finished just off the podium in fourth place last year. "Luck was on my side the last couple of years, so I am not sad," said Eberharter, who won here in 2002. "I am actually very happy with my second place finish. It was really tough today. "I am fully healthy and fit again, so I was confident I could catch up with the top skiers," added the Austrian, who had struggled to shake a lingering flu in the first half of the season. Last year's winner, American Daron Rahlves, completed the podium of veterans, placing third in 1:58.98. "I felt really good. My skies were running well and I took a lot of risk," Rahlves said. "I finished on the podium and that was my aim. "It's a little bit scary down here sometimes, but you have to stick your nose in and go out there. That's all." It marked Kjus's second downhill victory on the famed Streif course, having already triumphed here in 1999. The Norwegian also won three combined events, which add the times from the downhill and a slalom. Kjus has surprised many this season with a return to the kind of form that led him to the World Cup overall title in 1996 and 1999. The powerfully-built Norwegian had struggled with his health the last several years, suffering from chronic bronchitis and sinus problems. However, he has come out strong again this season, winning a super-G in Val Gardena and finished runnerup in a downhill in Chamonix. With Thursday's victory, Kjus overtook Austrian technical specialist Benjamin Raich in the overall rankings. He now tops the table with 695 points, six ahead of Raich. His is also third in the downhill standings behind leader Michael Walchhofer on 345 and Eberharter, with 331. Kjus sits on 292. Experience was a key element in Kjus's victory. The 33-year-old is in his 14th season on the World Cup circuit and knows the Hahnenkamm course like the back of his hand. His challenge was physical fitness. Skiers are put to the test right from the very start, speeding through the Mausefalle (Mousetrap), one of the most spectacular drops on the circuit with a 60 degree pitch, which includes a gravity-defying turn, giving skiers blurring speed as they head into the treacherous Steilhang. Racers must then keep a line near the middle of the slope on the steep, icy Steilhang, a difficult feat as they traverse the section at speeds around 100 kph (62 mph) while fighting the natural fall line, or gravity. The difficult Laerchenschuss and tricky Hausbergkante corner near the bottom of the hill continue to challenge skiers before they head into the final schuss at speeds of about 121 kph (75 mph). "I was dead tired on the last third of the slope," he said. "I was shocked at the final jump and already expecting to crash. "It will be even tougher tomorrow and Saturday." Thursday's downhill will also count toward a combined race this weekend, along with Sunday's slalom. Racing continues Friday with a super-G and a downhill on Saturday.

22/01/2004 10:01

Janica Kostelic surgery successful

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) _ Surgeons removed the thyroid gland of Olympic ski champion Janica Kostelic on Wednesday and said she was expected to recover completely in five weeks. Kostelic is the defending overall World Cup champion and three-time Olympic gold medalist.

21/01/2004 17:07

Eberharter fastest in training on shorted Streif

KITZBUEHEL, Austria (AP) _ Austrian veteran Stephan Eberharter ignored fog and light snowfalls Wednesday to post the fastest time in a men's training session in view of the week's World Cup downhill races.

21/01/2004 11:20

Wengen downhill moved to Garmisch

OBERHOFEN, Switzerland (AP) _ The men's World Cup Lauberhorn downhill race that had to be scrapped in Wengen last week has been rescheduled in Garmsich-Partenkirchen, Germany, the International Ski Federation said Wednesday. The race will take place on Friday, Jan. 30 and will be followed by another downhill and a slalom on the following two days, the federation said. Another downhill, which had been moved from Bormio to Chamonix and then to Wengen because of bad weather, was rescheduled for Kitzbuehel on Thursday.

20/01/2004 15:21

Austrians try to regain pride and command of Hahnenkamm

KITZBUEHEL, Austria (AP) _ Excluded from the prestigious downhill podium last year, Austrian skiers will attempt to regain their pride as well as command of the most treacherous and esteemed race on the World Cup circuit this weekend.

19/01/2004 11:00

Kildow calls for more in Cortina

"It was pretty much the same weather for everybody with snow falling and flat light, pretty much like [Saturday]," she said. "It's a nice course. We need more races in Cortina, I think." Kildow, 19, who collected her first top-15 earlier this season in Lake Louise, Alberta.

19/01/2004 10:18

Acrobatic show by Mancuso

"It was such a tight race and Lindsey did a super job to back-up her fifth from [Saturday]," said U.S. Head Coach Patrick Riml. "Goetschl and Lindsey were tied at the last split and Goetschl made up that hundredth to the finish...but, obviously, Lindsey skied so well again.

19/01/2004 10:00

New situation for Clark

It's not very often Clark - who now has preferred-start status if she's not in a top seed because of her 400-plus points - is fifth and sixth in consecutive speed races - and is second American each time. "Yeah, but it's awesome to have Lindsey on the podium and still be part of it.

General Standing

World cup Leader

Maier Hermann
07.12.1972 (Flachau)
Ski: Atomic

Maier Hermann 922
Raich Benjamin 918
Eberharter Stefan 869
Kjus Lasse 824
Miller Bode 771
Rahlves Daron 672
Walchhofer Michael 653
Knauss Hans 629
Palander Kalle 626
Schifferer Andreas 584

World cup Leader

Gotschl Renate
06.08.1975 (Obdach)
Ski: Salomon

Gotschl Renate 1048
Paerson Anja 1020
Gerg Hilde 870
Montillet Carole 853
Dorfmeister Michaela 756
Riesch Maria 602
Ertl Martina 597
Meissnitzer Alexandra 580
Hosp Nicole 566
Clark Kirsten 456

Next Races

07.02.2004 Adelboden (SUI) GS
07.02.2004 Region Arber (GER) GS
08.02.2004 Adelboden (SUI) SL
08.02.2004 Region Arber (GER) SL
14.02.2004 St. Anton (AUT) DH
15.02.2004 St. Anton (AUT) SL
21.02.2004 Are (SWE) SG