CHAMONIX, FRANCE — Klaus Kroell gave Austria its first World Cup downhill victory of the season Friday, edging Bode Miller by 0.01 seconds in a race so tight the top five skiers were separated by 0.08 seconds.
Miller was faster than Kroell at every split, but the American lost time on the bottom section and finished an eye blink behind Kroell, who won in 2 minutes, 4.22 seconds.
After Miller crossed the line, he spun quickly to check the big screen to see how he did. He held his head in his hands in disbelief and stood still for a few seconds.
“It’s tough. … There’s so many places where a hundredth can come or go,” Miller said. “I didn’t really have a great reach for the finish line, which I always try to do well. That’s the worst place to lose it, right out of the start or right at the finish line, and today I kind of left a little bit out there.”
This was Kroell’s fourth World Cup victory and his first since he won the downhill at Wengen, Switzerland, in January last year.
“Having waited so long it’s a great joy, and a great relief. A great weight has been lifted from me,” Kroell said. “It was a very difficult race for me because I made a mistake right at the start, and then on a turn. So it was a bad start.”
Didier Cuche of Switzerland finished third in his bid for a third straight downhill victory. He was 0.03 seconds behind Miller in 2:04.26. Cuche leads the downhill standings with 437 points to Kroell’s 397.
Ohio State’s Meyer defends recruiting practices
COLUMBUS, Ohio — New Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer faced off with at least two coaches who have been reported saying they question his poaching of recruits who had committed to other programs.
Meyer’s first recruiting class Wednesday included eight players who initially said they were attending another school, including four who originally said they were going to Penn State and one each who had declared they would go to Michigan State and Wisconsin. Two others had committed to Notre Dame.
“It should be noted that my coaching staff is in full compliance with our recruiting efforts, and no one on this staff did anything illegal or unethical,” Meyer said.
He added his staff would continue to be “relentless.”
Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema has been quoted expressing his displeasure with Ohio State raiding other team’s recruits. Michigan State’s Mark Dantonio also reportedly questioned Meyer’s recruiting tactics, but he said his comments were taken out of context.
• Cornerback Nick Marshall, defensive back Chris Sanders and receiver Sanford Seay — all freshmen last season at Georgia — have been dismissed from the team by coach Mark Richt for undisclosed violations.
Oden undergoes knee procedure
PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Trail Blazers center Greg Oden underwent an arthroscopic procedure to “remove debris” from his right knee, his fourth surgery since he was selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2007 draft. He remains out indefinitely.
• Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and coach Rick Carlisle were fined by the NBA for their actions after becoming upset with the officiating following a 95-86 home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. Cuban was handed a $75,000 penalty for his critical remarks about the officiating, while Carlisle was fined $35,000 for kicking a ball into the stands.
• Orlando Magic forward Glen “Big Baby” Davis has been suspended for two games for undisclosed conduct detrimental to the team.
Footnotes
The Pittsburgh Penguins signed center Joe Vitale to a two-year, $1.1 million contract extension.
• New Jersey Devils forward Patrik Elias was fined $2,500 for boarding Montreal Canadiens forward Mike Blunden during Thursday’s 5-3 victory.
• The Minnesota Wild traded forward Casey Wellman to the New York Rangers for center Erik Christensen and a conditional seventh-round draft choice.
• Former Olympic figure skating champion Evgeni Plushenko said he will have surgery on his left knee Feb. 23 and has ruled himself out of the world champiionships that begin March 25.
