Rahlves secures Bormio downhill

ALPINE WORLD CUP. Bormio, 29 December 2005 (BBC). American Daron Rahlves took his second downhill victory of the season in Bormio, to take the lead in the overall standings of the World Cup series. The start was delayed in Italy by 30 minutes after a forerunner crashed into safety netting, and a 10 minute halt followed after Hans Grugger crashed.

Daron Rahlves of the U.S. makes his way to win the men's downhill at the Alpine ski World Cup in Bormio, northern Italy, December 29, 2005. Rahlves won a men's Alpine ski World Cup downhill race on Thursday with a time of one minute 57.68 seconds, according to provisional results. (REUTERS/Max Rossi)

Rahlves, who won two world championship medals in Bormio in February, clocked one minute 57.68 seconds.

That eclipsed 2002 Olympic champion Fritz Strobl by 0.32 seconds.

Switzerland's Tobias Gruenenfelder finished third, despite an unfortunate crash at the finish line.

He was treated for an injured knee at the scene, having been a mere 0.03 outside Strobl's time.

Last year's winner Gruger was earlier evacuated to hospital with a suspected broken leg.

Reigning World Cup holder Bode Miller was a distant ninth after a surprisingly cautious opening section, while another leading figure, Austrian Hermann Maier, never seriously challenged and trailed home in 13th spot.

It was the 11th World Cup victory for 32-year-old Rahlves, a former jet ski world champion.

He has now finished in each of the podium places in the northern resort of Bormio, having won silver in the world championship downhill and bronze in the giant slalom.

"It just seems to get me pumped up," he said of the venue.

"It is a very technically demanding course. So many downhills are getting easier and slower with the turns but I like these high-speed, straight sections."

Early series leader Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway missed the race because of a broken rib.

Men's downhill result:

1 Daron Rahlves (US) 1 minute 57.68 seconds
2 Fritz Strobl (Aut) 1:58.00
3 Tobias Gruenenfelder (Swi) 1:58.03
4 Michael Walchhofer (Aut) 1:58.04
5 Marco Buechel (Lie) 1:58.19
6 Kristian Ghedina (It) 1:58.25
7 Pierre-Emmanuel Dalcin (Fr) 1:58.34
8 Didier Defago (Swi) 1:58.35
9 Bode Miller (US) 1:58.58
10 Klaus Kroell (Aut) 1:58.63

BBC Sport
Thursday, 29 December 2005, 13:43 GMT

Schild triumphs in women's slalom

ALPINE WORLD CUP. Lienz, 29 December 2005 (BBC). Austria's Marlies Schild won the women's World Cup slalom race in Lienz, Austria, on Thursday. She covered the Schlossberg course in 1 minute 57.92 seconds, with compatriot Nicole Hosp second in 1:58.94 and Janica Kostelic third in 1:59.65.

Austria's Marlies Schild passes a gate on her way to win an alpine ski World Cup Women's slalom race in Lienz, Austria, Thursday, Dec. 29, 2005.(AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

Sweden's Anja Paerson crashed out early in the opening run.

"The conditions were very difficult today and the light was very bad so I was surprised when I took the lead during the first run," said Schild.

Schild, a combined bronze medal winner at February's world championships, struggled in the early stages of this season with just one top-10 performance in her opening seven races.

But the 24-year-old Salzburger added victory to two third-place finishes in the Czech resort of Spindleruv Mlyn last week.

"I think I was just putting myself under too much pressure at the start of the season," Schild said.

"But now I feel in great form and happier than I've ever been in my life."

Paerson's disappointment was compounded by the news that Croatian Kostalic had replaced her at the top of the world standings after her third place.

Leading finishers:

1. Marlies Schild (Aut) 1:57.92
2. Nicole Hosp (Aut) 1:58.94
3. Janica Kostelic (Cro) 1:59.65
4. Kristina Koznick (US) 1:59.81
5. Kathrin Zettel (Aut) 1:59.99
6. Tanja Poutiainen (Fin) 2:00.76
7. Laure Pequegnot (Fra) 2:01.70
8. Lindsey Kildow (US) 2:01.71
9. Anna Ottosson (Swe) 2:01.75
10. Chiara Costazza (Ita) 2:01.89

BBC Sport
Thursday, 29 December 2005, 13:54 GMT

Paerson surges to Austria victory

ALPINE WORLD CUP. Lienz, 28 December 2005 (BBC). Anja Paerson has won the women's World Cup giant slalom at Lienz, Austria. The Swede, who has had a very impressive start to the new season, clocked a combined time of two minutes 9.94 seconds over the two legs.

Austrian Nicole Hosp was second in 2:10.15 and Slovenian Tina Maze finished third in a time of 2:10.34.

Paerson led by 0.06 seconds after her first run and stretched her advantage in the second run to give her the lead in the overall World Cup standings.

It was the Swede's third World Cup win of the season following slalom victories in Aspen, Colorado and at Spindleruv Mlyn in the Czech Republic .

She is now eight points ahead of Croatian rival Janica Kostelic who finished Wednesday's race in sixth place.

"I was risking a lot and made a lot of mistakes because the visibility was terrible," said Paerson afterwards.

World Cup giant slalom results, Lienz

1. Anja Paerson (Swe) (1min 05.99secs/1min 03.95secs) 2min 09.94secs
2. Nicole Hosp (Aut) (1:06.22/1:03.93) 2:10.15
3. Tina Maze (Slo) (1:06.05/1:04.29) 2:10.34
4. Kathrin Zettel (Aut) (1:06.18/1:04.20) 2:10.38
5. Marlies Schild (Aut) (1:06.38/1:04.07) 2:10.45
6. Janica Kostelic (Cro) (1:06.42/1:04.47) 2:10.89
7. Maria Jose Rienda (Spa) (1:06.65/1:04.26) 2:10.91
8. Manuela Moelgg (Ita) (1:06.81/ 1:04.32) 2:11.13
9. Martina Ertl-Renz (Ger) (1:06.71/1:04.60) 2:11.31
10. Anna Ottosson (Swe) (1:06.47/1:04.89) 2:11.36

BBC Sport
Wednesday, 28 December 2005, 13:07 GMT