Birgit Heeb-Batliner of Liechtenstein took her first World Cup GS win under bluebird skies today at the Chevy Truck America's Opening races here at Park City Mountain Resort.

"It was the right time at the right place - everything was perfect" Heeb-Batliner gushed. After 10 years on the tour without a win, she was certainly relishing the moment.

Veteran racer Alexandra Meissnitzer of Austria finished second and proved to herself and any doubters that she still had the skills. Meissnitzer, the 1999 Overall winner, suffered a devastating knee injury that year and had not been on a Super G podium since. Many believed that she could not attain a top spot in a technical event ever again.

"Many thought I'd never come back to the podium, but I didn't listen to them. I like to prove myself," Meissnitzer said.

Prove herself she did and all her doubters cheered her on. Janica Kostelic of Croatia took third with a run that almost mirrored her gold medal run here last year. Kostelic's first run left her in sixth place with over a second to make up in her second run.

"I didn't give everything on my first run," Kostelic said, smiling, "but I'm really pleased." She gave everything and then some with a blistering second run.

Birgit had an excellent first run, just 0.06 hundredths of a second behind the strong Meissnitzer. Sonja Nef of Switzerland also had a strong first run putting her only 0.49 seconds back in fifth place. Anja Paerson was right behind Janica in seventh place with her teammate from Switzerland Anna Ottosson in fourth.

After a morning of beaming sunshine and 50+ degree temperatures, the course slowed significantly by the 1pm start time of the second run. The second run slowed most competitors by seconds. Most of the top-10 ladies took an under 1:13:00 first run, but few could post a time under 1:15:00 by the second. It wasn't all about wax however. The course provided plenty of quick reflex reactions and changing pitches meaning only the sharpest of skiers could hold it together for both runs.

It was really anybody's guess as to who would take this second race of the season after the first stop in Soelden brought about a first-ever three-way tie for first place.

"The good news is, Bode Miller will race..."

America's girls kept up the pressure with Kirsten Clark taking 13th and Kristina Koznick 19th. Sarah Schleper had her fan club tent set up and the fans cheered her to 20th.

The Canadians also had a strong showing with Allison Forsyth posting a steaming first run and holding on to take eighth place. Teammate Britt Janyk took tenth with a second run that was second only to Kostelic's.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the men. The good news is, Bode Miller will race. The bad news is it's seven days after arthroscopic surgery to remove meniscus fragments in his knee.

— Hans Prosl, MountainZone.com Correspondent