Are, Sweden, Mar. 8, 2001--Wearing bib No. 13, Austrian Hermann Maier, who won four World Cup titles last season, added his third crown ofthe 2001 season Thursday, winning the downhill at World Cup Finals - the 40th victory of his career - to overtake teammate StephanEberharter. Chad Fleischer (Vail, CO) was 12th and Daron Rahlves (Sugar Bowl, CA) 18th.
Outdoor Life Network will carry coverage of the men's downhill tonight, starting at 8 EST.
Maier, who clinched the overall and super G titles last weekend on the 1994 Olympic downhill run north of Lillehammer, Norway, led at everysplit to win with a time of 1:24.20. Eberharter, who skied right after Maier and had a six-point lead in the standings before the last World CupDH of the winter, finished second in 1:24.55 with Norwegian Kenneth Sivertsen third in 1:24.62.
The weather warmed several degrees - to the mid-30s - from the women's DH in the morning. Fleischer, who skied first, equaled hissecond-best result of the season (he also was 12th at Kitzbuehl's Hahnenkamm); his time was 1:25.34. Rahlves finished in 1:26.13.
"Chad did a good job, considering he didn't have very good light. For a guy coming off and injury year rotator cuff, it was really good," saidHead Coach Bill Egan. "And I haven't spoken with Daron so I didn't know what happened up-top where he was slow but he was skiing wellwhen he went by me. He'll be fired-up for the super G, for sure. This is an awful easy hill and he prefers something a lot tougher, but..."
Rahlves will race Friday in super G before heading home and then the Chevy Truck U.S. Alpine Championships March 23-28 at BigMountain, MT.
CAFE de COLOMBIA WORLD CUP
World Cup Finals
Are, SWE - March 8
Men's DH
1. Hermann Maier, Austria, 1:24.20
2. Stephan Eberharter, Austria, 1:24.55
3. Kenneth Sivertsen, Norway, 1:24.62
4. Franco Cavegn, Switzerland, 1:24.64
5. Josef Strobl, Austria, 1:24.72 12. Chad Fleischer, Vail, CO, 1:25.34
18. Daron Rahlves, Sugar Bowl, CA, 1:26.13 Cafe de Colombia World Cup (3 races remaining)
Men's Overall
1. Maier - 1,518
2. Eberharter, 875
3. Lasse Kjus, Norway, 803
4. Benjamin Raich, Austria, 705
5. Heinz Schilchegger, Austria, 701
17. Erik Schlopy, Park City, UT, 354
27. Rahlves, 255
38. Bode Miller, Franconia, NH, 185
45. Fleischer, 145
63. Casey Puckett, Aspen, CO, 85
119. Chris Puckett, Boulder, CO, 14
126. Thomas Vonn, Newburgh, NY, 12
127. (tie) Sacha Gros, Vail, CO, and Dane Spencer, Boise, ID, 11
134. Jake Fiala, Frisco, CO, 5
139. Brett Fischer, Winter Park, CO, 2
