A first for Bode
ByReuters
Published 27/11/2004 at 21:18 GMT
Bode Miller's time finally came on Saturday when the American claimed his first World Cup downhill win, underlining his determination to finish the season with the overall title. For six years Miller had been chasing a downhill victory and when the elusi
Eurosport
Image credit: Eurosport
The 30th skier out of the start hut, Miller charged down the sun-bathed Olympic course in a time of one minute 42.75 seconds bringing an end to Austrian domination in the Canadian Rockies.
The event was moved to Lake Louise from Whistler in 1999 and Austrian downhillers had won every race staged at the Alberta resort.
Frenchman Antoine Deneriaz was the only skier to get within a second of the American, crossing in 1:43.72, while Austrian Michael Walchhofer, the downhill world champion and winner here last year, settled for third with 1:43.92
"It's awesome," said Miller after collecting his 14th career win. "I was a little concerned yesterday when I won the training run. I was a little discouraged I was starting 30th. This hill traditionally does not favour late starters but I was really fired up.
"It's awesome not only to win a downhill but to win it the way I wanted to. I attacked the hell out of the course. I was really aggressive and didn't make any mistakes.
"There are a lot of pieces that have to come together to win a downhill, even more pieces have to come together to be a second ahead."
PERFECT START
The winner of the season-opening giant slalom in Soelden last month, Miller's perfect start to the season has put him at the top of the overall standings well ahead of champion and arch-rival Hermann Maier of Austria who could finish no better than sixth.
"That's Lake Louise," shrugged Maier as he left the finish area.
Maier has never won a downhill at Lake Louise but has finished top of the podium in the Super-G here three times and will get a chance at redemption on Sunday.
Miller, who is attempting to become the first American since Phil Mahre in 1983 to wear the overall crown has never won a super-G and will try to complete a weekend of firsts by becoming one of a handful of skiers to register wins in all four Alpine skiing disciplines.
But Miller said he would find time Saturday night to savour the victory he had been chasing his entire career. "I'll celebrate tonight," said Miller, the World Cup's workhorse and only skier to compete in every event the last two seasons.
"I do want to do well in the Super-G but I also have to enjoy this. It means another step forward in my career. I always wanted to be a four-event skier."
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement