Wednesday, March 10, 2004

Rahlves conquers Kvitfjell SG

Seventh World Cup triumph

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In Bode Miller and Daron Rahlves, the U.S. Ski Team has a terrific 1-2 punch to counter Austrian dominance—and Rahlves had his turn to shine Sunday on the Olympiabakken course at Kvitfjell, Norway.

Rahlves, 30, from Truckee, Ca., pounded the bottom of the course to collect his second World Cup super giant slalom victory of the season and seventh of his career. He moved into fifth place in the overall standings.

Austrian skiers led by Hermann Maier comprised a formidable bloc, taking eight places from second to 10th in Sunday’s super giant slalom.

Having won another SG at Kitzbuehel, Aust. Jan. 23 in addition to his downhill victory at Beaver Creek, Colo. Dec. 5, Rahlves has become the all-time #1 U.S. man in terms of DH and SG victories.

Rahlves was fourth Saturday in the Kvitfjell downhill behind winner Stephan Eberharter of Austria. Eberharter, defending World Cup overall and DH king, is the chief challenger to Austria’s Hermann Maier in an extremely close four-man race for the 2003-04 World Cup overall title.

The men and women compete in the World Cup Finals March 10-14 at Sestriere, Italy. The event starts with the downhill races today, Wednesday.

Maier, 31, a three-time World Cup overall winner, leads the standings with 1,165 points. Miller is second with 1,098, Eberharter third with 1,083 and Austria’s Benjamin Raich fourth with 1,063. Rahlves has climbed into fifth place with 882.

Kristina Koznick, Sarah Schleper and Resi Stiegler are headed to the finals for the women’s team.

Here is last week’s wrap-up:

Men’s SG March 7 at Kvitfjell, Norway: 1—Daron Rahlves 1:34.00. 2—Bjarne Solbakken (Nor.) 1:34.15. 21—Jake Fiala 1:35.50. 22—Bode Miller 1:35.56.

Men’s DH March 6 at Kvitfjell: 1—Stephan Eberharter (Aust.) 1:43.41. 4—Daron Rahlves 1:43.86. 26—Bode Miller 1:45.07. 33—Bryon Friedman 1:45.69. 43—Jake Fiala 1:46.57.

Current men’s World Cup overall standings: 1—Hermann Maier (Aust.) 1165. 2—Bode Miller 1098. 3—Stephan Eberharter (Aust.) 1083. 4—Benjamin Raich (Aust.) 1063. 5—Daron Rahlves 882.

Top two by discipline:

Downhill: 1—Stephan Eberharter (Aust.) 771. 2—Hermann Maier (Aust.) 537. Super giant slalom: 1—Maier 480. 2—Daron Rahlves 318. Giant slalom: 1—Bode Miller 410. 2—Kalle Palander (Fin.) 349. Slalom: 1—Rainer Schoenfelder (Aust.) 550. 2—Palander 495.

Current women’s World Cup standings: 1—Anja Paerson (Swe). 1381 (1-SL, 1-GS). 2—Renate Goetschl (Aust.) 1208 (1-DH, 1-SG). 13—Kirsten Clark 456. 19—Kristina Koznick 330. 20—Sarah Schleper 300.

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