KVITFJELL, Norway-
Ambrosi Hoffmann of Switzerland posted the fastest downhill training run Thursday in the World Cup event.
Hoffmann finished in 1 minute, 46.74 seconds, edging Marco Buchel of Liechtenstein by 19 hundredths of a second. Christoph Gruber of Austria was third in 1:47.20, and Erik Guay of Canada was fourth in 1:47.25.
American Bode Miller was 28th.
Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway and Benjamin Raich of Austria, the favorites for the overall title, were well behind. Svindal, who won the downhill at last month’s world championships, was 12th. Raich finished 29th.
Raich, the defending overall World Cup champion, has a 77-point lead over Svindal heading into the races.
The downhill is scheduled for Saturday followed by a Super-G on Sunday. A super-combi—a downhill and a slalom—will open the event Friday.
