Stephan Eberharter. Hermann Maier. Bode Miller. If you were in charge of the World Skiing Championships, this is the kind of podium crew you'd want. And that's exactly what FIS got in the first event of the two-week long worlds in today's men's Super-G.

Miller, skiing 23rd, took the lead with a scorching time of 1:39.57 on the Corviglia course, only to be matched by Maier moments later. But both had to step back with admiration as Eberharter posted a dominating 1:38.80 to win by .77. Ambrosi Hoffman of the host country finished fourth and Kjetil Andre Aamodt of Norway rounded out the top five

Among other Americans, Marco Sullivan finished 17th in 1:40.85. Defending champion Daron Rahlves, fresh from winning the Hahnenkamm downhill at Kitzbuehel, was 22nd in 1:41.11, and Jake Fiala wound up 28th in 1:41.79. Thomas Vonn did not finish.

Eberharter's win is his eighth of the season and 23rd of his World Cup career, including five in Super-G. He strengthened his position in the race for the overall points championship. The Austrian superstar has now collected 1065 total points this season. Today's success demonstrates Maier's up and down career in the racing world--he first won a Super-G world championship 12 years ago at Saalbach, but had never won a world championship in between. Only in the past four years has he become the champion everyone expected in the early 90s, dominating the circuit overall.

For Maier, the race continued the celebration of his return to form, and at the same time showed the fighting spirit that made him the dominant figure on tour in the late 1990s. Maier built a huge lead on the top half of the course, but saw it fly away on the lower half when he swung too wide around one gate and made other costly mistakes. At the bottom, Maier was clearly displeased, swinging his poles in frustration.

Miller, on the other hand, has to be pleased with his best result to date in a speed event, his first podium ever as he continues to mold himself into an all-around skier capable of winning in any venue. Today he stood on the podium with two of the most illustrious names in racing. Over the next two weeks, will he be able to eclipse them for this championship?

— Tim O'Mara, MountainZone.com correspondent