Dorfmeister and Strobl win training runs; Kildow banged up in crash

By Published On: January 31st, 2005Comments Off on Dorfmeister and Strobl win training runs; Kildow banged up in crash

Dorfmeister and Strobl win training runs; Kildow banged up in crashMichaela Dorfmeister led the field for the opening women’s downhill training run on a turny Santa Caterina track with a time of 1.42.41. Germany’s Hilde Gerg and home town favorite Isolde Kostner from Italy rounded out the top three finishers.

One of the pre-race favorites, Lindsey Kildow took a hard fall some forty seconds into the course, cart wheeling backwards and sliding through a group on course photographers.

“Nothing major, just banged myself up a bit,” said Kildow. “I have a nice bruise on my back, and I broke my pole. It hurts right where the grip goes. I’ll be going at ’em tomorrow.”

Kildow, who had second and fourth place finishes in the inaugural World Cup races here in January, fell just above a newly placed jump on the Deborah Compagnoni course. The jump caused problems for number racers including Germany’s Isabelle Huber who landed awkwardly and fell, injuring her knee.

“It was kind of scary,” Kildow said of her crash. “I guess I ran into some people. I don’t remember that, but that’s probably where I got the bruise…My left ski got light, hit the ground, locked up on me.”

Caroline Lalive posted the fastest time for the U. S team, finishing sixth while newcomer Bryna McCarty was ninth. Kirsten Clark was 18th and Jonna Mendes 24th. Mendes and McCarty are vying for the fourth U. S. start position in the World Championship downhill. The final training run will determine who goes to the start house for next Sunday’s race.

Reigning Olympic downhill champion Fritz Strobl won the men’s training run, held at Bormio, just down the road from Santa Caterina. Bode Miller, standing tall while he felt out the course, finished third.

Strobl is vying with his teammates for a starting spot in Saturday’s world championship downhill. Strobl, Hermann Maier, Werner Franz and Christoph Gruber are competing for the last three spots on the Austrian’s five-man squad. Michael Walchhofer is locked in because he won the championship in 2003; Johann Grugger is secure because he has won two downhills this season, including one at Bormio in late December.

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About the Author: Pete Rugh