Austria’s Benjamin Raich took the opening run of the two-heat Adelboden GS Saturday with Italian Massimiliano Blardone second, two tenths of a second back and Austrian Christoph Gruber third.Austria’s Benjamin Raich took the opening run of the two-heat Adelboden GS Saturday with Italian Massimiliano Blardone second, two tenths of a second back and Austrian Christoph Gruber third.

With a history that predates the World Cup by nine years, the race is among the most prestigious in Switzerland. Carlo Janka was the top skier from the home team in eighth place. Last season’s winner Marc Berthold, also Swiss, was ninth with teammates Didier Cuche 11th and Daniel Albrecht 12th.

Two Americans qualified to make a second run. Jake Zamansky finished the first run in 27th place and Ted Ligety in 28th. Both are more than two seconds off the pace. Bode Miller failed to finish the first run.

Raich has twice won the event, in 2006 and 2007.