European Report: Miller rocks 'n' rolls back into contention for overall title

European Report: Miller rocks ‘n’ rolls back into contention for overall title{mosimage}After the dust settled Sunday in St. Anton, Austria, one thing became very clear — Bode Miller is right back in the hunt for the overall World Cup title.

Miller scored his first slalom victory Sunday in two years and took eighth in Saturday’s downhill to push into third overall and just one point behind second place Benjamin Raich.

“This was rock-and-rolling down the course, just how I like it — no fluke and taking a lot of risks,” Miller said after winning Sunday. “I risked a lot in the second run and almost went down a few times, but it was really fun. It was nice to cross the finish line and see you’ve won although you’ve made so many mistakes.”

Hermann Maier retained the overall lead with 1,054 points after winning Saturday’s downhill. Austrian teammate Raich skipped Saturday’s downhill but DQ’d in Sunday’s slalom for straddling a gate and missed out on any points.

Raich is still second overall with 985 points, but Miller nudged into third at just one point back. Defending champion Stephan Eberharter is fourth at 961.

Miller’s risk-all attitude has caused him some problems when conventional wisdom urged him to skier safer to score points, but the remaining schedule — four technical events and four speed events — could help the 26-year-old New Englander.

Miller is the only skier of the top four contenders who’s consistently scored points in all four disciplines this season. Maier hasn’t finished either of the two slaloms he’s started this year and he’s still struggling in GS. Raich is racing more speed events, but all of his major points have come in the gates while Eberharter continues to insist his only worry is taking the downhill crown.

Miller, who is trying to become the first American since Phil Mahre in 1983 to win the overall trophy, said he’s enjoying the chase.

“It is fun because it will go on until the last race probably,” he told Reuters. “I’m sticking by my prediction that any four of us have a chance to win. Everyone is downplaying Hermann and Stephan but when they are under pressure they ski very well.”

>> Raich downplays bleak weekend

Early last week, Benjamin Raich and his Austrian coaches decided he wouldn’t race in Saturday’s downhill in St. Anton. Following Raich’s concussion in a high-speed crash in the Garmisch, Germany, super G on February 1, no one wanted to risk too much on the treacherous course. Instead, everything was on Sunday’s slalom.

Raich straddled a gate and was DQ’d, leaving him without any points from the weekend.

“The points would have been good but I’ve just got to put it behind me and move on,” said Raich, who fell to 69 points behind series leader Hermann Maier. “There are still some races left where I’ll have to make more points, so I won’t give up before it’s over.”

Raich took it like a gentleman, the Austrian newspaper Der Standard reported.

“It’s best to forget everything as quickly as possible and think about the next races,” he said. “The next races at Kranjska Gora favor me so I want to be ready for those. Still, it’s disappointing to perform poorly racing at home with the World Cup on the line.”

>> Women back in action this week

After taking the weekend off, the women’s World Cup circuit kicks back into action Saturday with a super G and a giant slalom Sunday at Are, Sweden.

Series leader Anja Paerson will likely be welcomed as a national hero as she tries to become the first Swede since Pernilla Wiberg in 1997 to win the overall World Cup title.

Paerson already has a lock on the giant slalom and slalom titles and wants to score even more points to clinch the overall. Austrian Renate Goetschl stands at 1,108 points to Paerson’s 1,220 points and could move closer if she can win the super G.

>> Canada skiing names CEO

Joey O’Brien has been named Alpine Canada’s first-ever chief operating officer, CP reported.

O’Brien, who will officially join Alpine Canada on February 23, recently sold the Ski Martock resort in Windsor, Nova Scotia. He owned and operated the resort for 27 years.

“We have made a lot of progress in many areas, and have a strong team both inside the office and within our corporate partners,” Apine Canada president Ken Read said in a statement. “But more needs to be done. Joey brings the entrepreneurial spirit and the industry knowledge and contacts to help us continue to move forward.”