Cortina: Goetschl, Mancuso fastest in DH training

Renate Goetschl led the opening training session Wednesday for a women's World Cup downhill on a course where she has won a record nine times.

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy — Renate Goetschl led the opening training session Wednesday for a women's World Cup downhill on a course where she has won a record nine times.
    The Austrian navigated the 2.8-kilometer (1.7-mile) Olimpia delle Tofane course in 1 minute, 32.78 seconds.
    Julia Mancuso of the United States was second, 0.02 seconds behind, and Fraenzi Aufdenblatten of Switzerland was third, 0.59 seconds back.
    Goetschl has four downhill wins and five super G victories at Cortina, making her the leader for most victories in one resort. Ingemar Stenmark won eight times in Madonna di Campiglio.
    Cortina is the premier stop on the women's circuit.
    Anja Paerson of Sweden, still regaining her form from offseason knee surgery, was fourth. Lindsey Kildow of the United States, the leader in the downhill standings, was seventh.
    Kildow leads Goetschl by 15 points, with Mancuso third, 74 points behind.
    Overall World Cup leader Marlies Schild did not enter the training session. She specializes in the technical events.
    All 56 skiers who started finished their runs.
    Another training session is scheduled for Thursday. A super G race will be held Friday, followed by the downhill Saturday and a giant slalom Sunday.
    Cortina, like the rest of the Alps, is experiencing its warmest winter in years, forcing organizers to airlift artificial snow by helicopters to the upper reaches of the course.

Cortina women's World Cup downhill training results

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy — Results Wednesday from a World Cup downhill training session on the 2.792-kilometer (1.7-mile) Olimpia delle Tofane course:
1. Renate Goetschl, Austria, 1 minute, 32.78 seconds.
2. Julia Mancuso, United States, 1:32.80.
3. Fraenzi Aufdenblatten, Switzerland, 1:33.37.
4. Anja Paerson, Sweden, 1:33.48.
5. Andrea Fischbacher, Austria, 1:33.50.
6. Emily Brydon, Canada, 1:33.65.
7. Lindsey Kildow, United States, 1:33.75.
8. Catherine Borghi, Switzerland, 1:33.77.
9. Elisabeth Goergl, Austria, 1:33.99.
10. Nadia Styger, Switzerland, 1:34.06.