By Associated Press | January 7, 2007 Olympic champion Benjamin Raich rediscovered his winning touch, capturing a World Cup giant slalom yesterday for the first time this season. For Bode Miller, it was more of the same: He failed to finish. Miller, a contender this season in the overall standings, appeared to misjudge the slope. He dropped onto his side and veered off course. Ted Ligety was the top American, finishing 17th. “Today was a sad way to begin the new year,” US coach Phil McNichol said. “It was a very poor showing from our guys with how strong we’ve been. Bode went out. Ted had his worst finish in any World Cup race he’s finished.” Raich, of Austria, had a combined time of 2 minutes 25.29 seconds on his two runs on the Kuonisbaergli course in Adelboden, Switzerland, for his 25th career World Cup victory. Massimiliano Blardone of Italy finished second in 2:26.14. Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway was third in 2:26.29. Women’s giant slalom – Austrian Nicole Hosp won the World Cup race, her first title of the season, finishing with a total of 2:09.85 on the difficult Podkoren course in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. Libby Ludlow of Bellevue, Wash., was the only American in the top 30, finishing 14th after starting in 55th. Olympic champion Julia Mancuso of Truckee, Calif., started first out of the hut, but slid wide off the tricky course after hitting an icy patch at the top.

Bahrke is back Tahoe City moguls specialist collects her first win in nearly four years U.S. Ski Team reports January 8, 2007 MONT GABRIEL, Que. — Olympic moguls medalist and former World Cup champion Shannon Bahrke of Tahoe City collected her first victory in nearly four years Saturday, winning by one-hundredth of a point and leading four U.S. women into the top 10 to open the World Cup in steady rain, fog and soft conditions. Bahrke qualified fourth behind reigning Olympic and World Cup champion Jenn Heil of Canada, but she stuck a heli and backflip-cross, good for 24.60 points and the sixth win of her career. Swede Sara Kjellin was second at 24.59 and Margarita Marbler of Austria third. “I’m so excited, I can’t believe it,” Bahrke said, even three hours after the competition. “All those injuries, all that bad stuff is behind me now. It’s been too long, so this is even sweeter.” Since winning the 2003 World Cup title, Barhke had, among other things, broke her jaw when she slammed down on a ski pole in the middle of run in 2004 and then tore her right anterior cruciate ligament in 2005. But on Saturday, Bahrke said everything felt right. “Some days you feel like everything’s gonna be good, and that’s how I was (Saturday) morning,” she said. “It was so good to get back up there and get going.” Despite the frustrating non-start to the season — until Saturday — Bahrke said she had drawn some inspiration from the U.S. Alpine Team’s historic run of success before Christmas when five skiers produced nine top-3s, including five victories, one of which came from Julia Mancuso of Olympic Valley.

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Mancuso, Kildow keep U.S. skiers on a roll

The Associated Press December 24, 2006 VAL D’ISERE, France – Julia Mancuso’s first World Cup victory capped a remarkable few days for American skiers. The Olympic giant slalom champion won the downhill Tuesday on the Oreiller-Killy course in 1 minute, 38.93 seconds. “To win my first World Cup race feels good, but I always knew it was there,” Mancuso said. “It was just the case of being able to execute.” Renate Goetschl of Austria was runner-up, 0.43 seconds behind, and World Cup downhill leader Lindsey Kildow, Mancuso’s teammate and last year’s Val d’Isere winner, was 0.54 back in third. “It’s always good to have an American on the podium – and this is more than one,” Kildow said. “A lot of people have started to ski better and better and step up more.” Five days. Six top-three finishes for Americans. [Read More...]

Mancuso sets downhill mark too fast for followers

AMERICAN Julia Mancuso pulled off her first World Cup win when she dominated a top-class field in the first of two successive Val d’Isere downhills in France.

The 22-year-old reigning Olympic giant slalom champion clocked 1min 38.93sec, 00.43sec ahead of veteran Austrian Renate Goetschl and 00.54sec clear of another American, Lindsey Kildow on Tuesday.Mancuso went out early to set the best time on the shortened men’s course and sat back to watch the women who had gone faster than her in training attack her mark.

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