Maze leads first Finals downhill training run

The women of the World Cup got things started today (March 14) in Lenzerheide, Switzerland with the first downhill training run ahead of Wednesday’s World Cup Finals downhill race.

Slovenian Tina Maze had the day’s fastest time down the 2553-meter course in one minute, 26.56. France’s Marie Marchand-Arvier was second fastest, 0.62 seconds back while Swiss Lara Gut was 0.78 seconds behind in third.

Today’s field of competitors was significantly smaller than that of a typical World Cup training run as only the top 25 ranked skiers in each discipline qualify for the Finals.

This season’s World Junior downhill champion, Norway’s Lotte Smiseth Sejersted was fourth with a time of one minute, 27.43 seconds.

Julia Mancuso led the four-woman U.S. squad in the fifth position, 0.95 seconds off the leading pace. Stacey Cook finished 13th ahead of Leanne Smith in 17th. Lindsey Vonn, who sealed this season’s downhill title a week ago, made several mistakes as she worked her way down the short, technical course and finished last, 4.96 seconds behind Maze.

Current overall leader, German Maria Riesch finished sixth. She stands 23 points ahead of Vonn with four races ahead this week as the World Cup season comes to an end.

A second women’s downhill training run is scheduled for tomorrow along with the first men’s training run. Both men and women are scheduled to race the downhill on Wednesday and the super G on Thursday. The women’s slalom is scheduled for Friday March 18 and the giant slalom is slated for Saturday March 19.

OFFICIAL RESULTS – FIRST TRAINING