While Bode Miller griped about too much media coverage this past week, American teammate Daron Rahlves was inspired by a lack of recognition.
Rahlves, feeling snubbed by Swiss newspapers leading up to Saturday’s downhill, responded by becoming the first American in more than a decade to win on the Lauberhorn course in Wengen, Switzerland.
Rahlves finished in 2 minutes, 30.54 seconds. Michael Walchhofer, the reigning World Cup downhill champion, was 0.40 seconds behind. His Austrian teammate, Olympic downhill champion Fritz Strobl, was third.
“I read that ski legend Bernhard Russi had picked his six favorites: Walchhofer, Strobl, Marco (Buechel), Bode (Miller), Bruno Kernen and Hermann Maier. I wasn’t even mentioned,” Rahlves said after winning his third downhill of the season. “Seriously, it gave me more motivation. I want to be known as a contender.”
Miller, who spent part of this past week apologizing for comments he made about skiing “wasted,” finished 11th – 2.41 seconds back – after a couple of mistakes.
The Lauberhorn, at 2.8 miles the longest course on the World Cup circuit, is one of five so-called classic races that also include Val d’Isere, France; Kitzbuehel, Austria; Garmisch Partenkirchen, Germany; and Val Gardena, Italy.
With long, gentle sections, the Lauberhorn favors the circuit’s top gliders. Unusually light for a speed skier, Rahlves generally prefers steep and technical downhills, such as Beaver Creek and Bormio, where he won this season.
Rahlves became the first American to win on the Lauberhorn since Kyle Rasmussen in 1995. Bill Johnson is the only other U.S. skier to win there.
U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association president Bill Marolt, who came to Wengen to talk with Miller, was glad he made the trip.
“I get a real kick and a real sense of enjoyment seeing our guys stand on the podium,” Marolt said. “The Lauberhorn is one of the classics.”
Women: Janica Kostelic, who won three golds and a silver at the 2002 Olympics, now also is a medal contender in the downhill as the Turin Games approach.
Kostelic won her first World Cup downhill in Bad Kleinkirchheim, Austria, building her lead in the overall standings and proving her strength in the only alpine event in which she did not compete at the Salt Lake City Games four years ago.
Lindsey Kildow, a Ski Club Vail product, finished 18th and lost the lead in the World Cup downhill standings to Michaela Dorfmeister, who was third. The Austrian has 312 points to Kildow’s 287.
Kostelic became the first skier to win four alpine medals at an Olympics in 2002, winning gold in the slalom, giant slalom and combined and silver in the super giant slalom.
She won downhill gold at the last world championships, but never had done better than two second-place finishes last year in World Cup races.
“For a Croatian like me, we don’t have any place to train downhill,” she said. “It’s not surprising I win slalom, but not downhill.”
Kostelic finished in 1:37.96, 0.17 seconds ahead of Sweden’s Nike Bent. Dorfmeister was third in 1:38.53.
Three weeks ago, Kostelic won her first World Cup giant slalom. Saturday, cheered on by hundreds of Croats who traveled to see her, Kostelic picked up her 23rd World Cup victory.
Kostelic was fourth in another downhill Friday on the same slope, finishing 0.09 behind winner Anja Paerson of Sweden.
“I really don’t think about the Olympics, unless someone asks me,” Kostelic said. “I try to concentrate on the (World Cup) races.”
The win built Kostelic’s lead over Paerson in the overall standings to nearly 200 points – 882 to 685.
