European Report: Raich wants to race downhill; race added in Garmisch

European Report: Raich wants to race downhill; race added in Garmisch{mosimage}Gates specialist Benjamin Raich said he will try his hand at the feared Hahnenkamm downhill this weekend in an effort to retain his grip on the overall World Cup lead.

Raich rarely races the downhill, but finished 14th in the Chamonix downhill two weeks ago to take second in the combined behind winner Bode Miller. With another combined up for grabs this weekend, Raich said he’ll train on the course to see if he earn a starting position. He’s also set to race in the super G.

‘It’s too bad we lost Tuesday’s training, but I want to see the course and study every aspect to see if it’s possible’ Raich told the German news agency DPA. ‘For a beginner on this course, it’s a disadvantage to lose that training day.’

Raich slipped into the overall following his victory in Sunday’s slalom at Wengen and holds a slim margin over all-rounders Hermann Maier and Lasse Kjus going into this weekend’s races.

‘The World Cup title has always been a dream of mine, but I still think Maier and Kjus are the favorites’ Raich said. ‘I still consider myself an outsider.’

>> Kostelic surgery confirmed by team doctor

Olympic champion Janica Kostelic checked into a hospital in Zagreb on Tuesday to undergo surgery to correct a thyroid imbalance, the AP reported.

Kostelic, 22, was feeling “okay” ahead of the surgery scheduled for Wednesday, said Vedran Pavlek, the head of the Croatian Ski Federation.

‘This will be my 85th surgery so far and I am not overly excited or scared’ Kostelic told the local sports newspaper Sportske Novosti.

Recovery is expected to take between four and five weeks, when Kostelic should be able to begin training again, Pavlek said.

Kostelic, the defending overall World Cup champion and a three-time Olympic gold medalist, was sidelined at the start of this season because of a knee injury.

In November, she also acknowledged having a thyroid disorder that would prevent her from returning to the slopes this season. She and her assistants have described the disorder as an “imbalance” without giving any more detail.

>> Italians hit slopes

Italian speed specialists Isolde Kostner and Daniele Ceccarelli, disappointed at poor results so far this season, stayed on in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, after the recent World Cup races for a few extra days of training.

According to a report in La Gazzetta dello Sport, the pair is hitting the same course which will be featured in the 2005 world championships to test new skis and hone their form.

Kostner posted seventh in Saturday’s downhill for her best result of the season, but is frustrated that she cannot get on the podium.

>> Garmisch gets extra downhill

Garmisch will get an extra downhill Jan. 30 to make up for the cancelled race at Wengen, the International Ski Federation (FIS) announced this week. Already this season three men’s downhills — at Bormio, Chamonix and Wengen — have been postponed and rescheduled due to lack of snow, or too much.

>> Heater caused deadly fire

An electric heater not designed for use in vehicles caused an Austrian ski train blaze that killed 155 people, prosecutors and lawyers for victims told a court on Tuesday, Reuters reported.

Only 12 people survived Austria’s worst post-war disaster when fire raced through a funicular train at the ski resort of Kaprun in November 2000, bringing its two crowded carriages to a halt in a tunnel.

The dead included German, Japanese and American tourists as well as Austrians. Lawyers also said there was no fire-fighting equipment in the carriages and the doors did not open when the train stopped, trapping passengers inside.

>> Table of Kitzbuehel downhill winners

Year Name Time

1931 FRIEDENSBACHER Ferdl (AUT) 04:34,2

1932 PRAGER Walter (SUI) 07:56,4

1935 ENGL Siegfried (AUT) 04:38,8

1936 PFEIFER Friedl (AUT) 05:03,2

1937 SCHWABL Thaddäus (AUT) 03:53,1

1946 SCHWABL Thaddäus (AUT) 03:01,0

1947 FEIX Karl (AUT) 03:36,0

1948 LANTSCHNER Helmut (AUT) 03:16,3

1949 SCHÖPF Egon (AUT) 03:03,0

1950 HUBER Fritz jun. (AUT) 03:04,3

1951 PRAVDA Christian (AUT) 03:04,9

1953 PERREN Bernhard (SUI) 02:54,5

1954 PRAVDA Christian (AUT) 02:47,9

1955 MOLTERER Anderl (AUT) 02:46,2

1956 SAILER Toni (AUT) 02:57,8

1957 SAILER Toni (AUT) 02:47,1

1958 MOLTERER Anderl (AUT) 02:40,7

1959 WERNER Bud (USA) 02:33,4

1960 DUVILLARD Adrien (FRA) 02:26,1

1961 PERILLAT Guy (FRA) 02:29,2

1962 FORRER Willi (SUI) 02:37,6

1963 ZIMMERMANN Egon (AUT) 02:20,7

1965 LEITNER Ludwig (GER) 02:30,8

1966 SCHRANZ Karl (AUT) 02:16,6

1967 KILLY Jean-Claude (FRA) 02:11,9

1968 NENNING Gerhard (AUT) 02:14,5

1969 SCHRANZ Karl (AUT) 02:18,8

1970 GIOVANOLI Dumeng (SUI)/RSL 03:20,7

1971 RUSSI Bernhard (SUI) / Megève 02:57,0

1972 SCHRANZ Karl (AUT) 02:24,4

1973 COLOMBIN Roland (SUI) 02:13,3

1974 COLOMBIN Roland (SUI) 02:03,3

1975 KLAMMER Franz (AUT) 02:03,2

1976 KLAMMER Franz (AUT) 02:03,8

1977 KLAMMER Franz (AUT) 02:09,7

1978 WALCHER Josef (AUT) / FERSTL Sepp (GER) 02:07,8

1979 FERSTL Sepp (GER) 02:04,5

1980 READ Ken (CAN) 02:04,9

1981 PODBORSKI Steve (CAN) 02:03,8

1982 PODBORSKI Steve (CAN) 01:57,2

1983 BROOKER Todd (CAN) 02:02,0

1984 KLAMMER Franz (AUT) 02:02,8

1985 ZURBRIGGEN Pirmin (SUI) 02:07,0

1986 WIRNSBERGER Peter (AUT) 02:02,0

1987 ZURBRIGGEN Pirmin (SUI) 01:58,1

1989 MAHRER Daniel (SUI) 01:58,4

1990 SKAARDAL Atle (NOR) /S-AF 02:26,2

1991 HEINZER Franz (SUI) 01:58,7

1992 HEINZER Franz (SUI) 01:56,7

1994 ORTLIEB Patrick (AUT) 02:00,1

1995 ALPHAND Luc (FRA) 01:41,0

1996 MADER Günther (AUT) 01:54,3

1997 STROBL Fritz (AUT) 01:51,6

1998 GHEDINA Kristian (ITA) 02:05,5

1999 KNAUSS Hans (AUT) 01:54,2

2000 STROBL Fritz (AUT) 01:46,5

2001 MAIER Hermann (AUT) 01:56,8

2002 EBERHARTER Stephan (AUT)01:54,2

2003 RAHLVES Daron (USA) 01:09,6