Speed thrills for
U.S. skiers
Downhillers show promise
North American
speed races were a bonanza for the U.S. Ski Team men and women last week during
World Cup races at Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada and Beaver Creek, Colo.
Leading the way
was World Cup overall contender Bode Miller, who has posted four top-10s in the
two downhills and two super giant slaloms held on North American hills.
But Miller was
joined by two other Yanks Saturday in an impressive performance at the Chevy
Truck Birds of Prey DH at Beaver Creek.
Starting 37th,
Daron Rahlves attacked from the back and podiumed in third place. Squaw Valley’s
Marco Sullivan was sixth and Miller eighth—the first time in 30 years the U.S.
has placed three in the top 10.
Miller continued
his hot skiing with a sixth place in Sunday’s SG.
For the women at
Lake Louise, Maine’s Kirsten Clark was just as hot. She has four consecutive
World Cup top fives—the best of any woman on the tour in the early going—after
her fourth place in Sunday’s SG.
Clark achieved
the first U.S. podium of the season, placing third in Friday’s DH. In fact,
Friday was another great day for the Americans as seven U.S. skiers finished in
the top 30. Caroline Lalive was fourth.
The men and women
travel to Val d’Isere, France this weekend.