Aamodt, Graham win Legends DH races in Vail

Norway’s Kjetil Andre Aamodt continued his rookie domination of the 2007 Countrywide American Ski Classic’s Legends events Thursday, while Canadian Laurie Graham extended her record number of Downhill victories to nine as the pair recorded wins in the Volvo Legends Downhill competition on Vail Mountain’s Golden Peak.
NORWAY'S KJETIL ANDRE AAMODT continued his rookie domination of the 2007 Countrywide American Ski Classic’s Legends events Thursday, while Canadian Laurie Graham extended her record number of Legends Downhill victories to nine as the pair recorded wins in the Volvo Legends Downhill competition on Vail Mountain’s Golden Peak.
    Aamodt, who won gold in the Countrywide Legends Giant Slalom on Wednesday in his inaugural Countrywide American Ski Classic race appearance, claimed the top step of the podium once again, this time outdistancing his former teammate and roommate Lasse Kjus by 37 hundredths of a second in the two-run competition, while American Phil Mahre picked up the bronze medal, a little more than half a second off the pace.
    It was a productive two days for Mahre as well, as the 1984 Olympic gold medalist in slalom also collected the silver behind Aamodt in Wednesday’s GS. Mahre, who retired from World Cup competition at the 1984 American Ski Classic, came out of retirement this winter in an attempt to qualify for the 2008 U.S. National Championships to celebrate his 50th birthday.
    Rounding out the top five for the men in the Volvo Legends Downhill were Canadian Felix Belczyk in fourth and Austria’s Hannes Trinkl in fifth.
    In the women’s race, Graham held the first-run lead and never looked back as she powered her way to a record ninth Legends Downhill victory despite a strong challenge from Germany’s Michaela Gerg-Leitner, who came up a mere 0.15 seconds short of the win. Canada’s Karen Percy-Lowe collected the bronze medal, while the women’s top five was rounded out by Norway’s Toril Forland in fourth and former U.S. Ski Team downhiller Pam Fletcher in fifth.
    In addition to Graham’s record number of Legends Downhill wins, she also owns more Countrywide American Ski Classic individual and team victories than any other racer with a total of 11, including a Legends Giant Slalom crown and a Ford Cup team victory.
    The 2007 Countrywide American Ski Classic concludes Friday and Saturday with the Countrywide Ford Cup celebrity team races at Golden Peak.
    The 25th Anniversary Countrywide American Ski Classic is a project of the Vail Valley Foundation.  For additional information on the Ski Classic or the Foundation, go to www.vvf.org.