In a race delayed about two hours by gusting winds and snow, Olympic downhill gold medalist Carole Montillet of France made it two World Cup downhill victories in 24 hours Saturday at Lake Louise. She edged Austrian Michaela Dorfmeister by.12 while Jonna Mendes (Heavenly, CA) led three U.S. women into the top 15 and two more into the top 30 - five U.S. women in the points for the second day in a row, too.

Winds gusted to more than 120 kilometers per hour (75mph) although the temperature was in the low 20s at race time. An overnight storm left a small amount of snow which was scrsaped off but shortly before race time, another storm rolled in, depositing about eight inches of snow in less than an hour and organizers called a delay to re-clear the course.

Montillet won the sixth race of her career - three downhills, three super Gs - in 1:24.18 with Dorfmeister down in 1:24.30 and Renate Goetschl, another Austrian, third in 1:24.41.

Mendes, who considers Lake Louise one of her favorite race hills after scoring her first World Cup points and first top-30, top-20 and top-10 on the Canadian Rockies run, posted a time of 1:25.39. Kirsten Clark (Raymond, ME), who was third Friday in the opening DH of the season, was 14th (1:25.45) and Lindsey Kildow (Burnsville, MN) recorded her first top-15 in 1:25.48 in 15th place.

In addition, Bryna McCarty (Concord, VT) tied for 26th and Alison Powers (Winter Park, CO), continuing her comeback from a horrific left kneecap-shattering crash during the 2001 season, was 29th. McCarty scored her first World Cup points a year ago at Louise, finishing 25th in a DH; she repeated Friday in 26th place and rolled another 26th Saturday.

"Yeah, some wind was involved," said U.S. speed Head Coach Alex Hoedelmoser. "We got it in although it was a late-afternoon dash.

"It wasn't as successful as we hoped but the young ones were charging and they had some good races. Top-15 for Lindsey, another points race for Bryna - all good things. Some girls had headwind, some had tailwind; it was all over."

The conditions varied dramatically with the gusting winds creating a problem along with poor visibility. "And then just before we were to begin, we got 20cm of snow in about half an hour or so, and that meant another delay," Hoedelmoser said. "It took quite a while for them to get the snow off - they brought the machines in and everyone was slipping - and I have to say when we finally raced, there wasn't too much soft stuff.

The women race super G Sunday with Mendes, Clark, Kildow, McCarty, Caroline Lalive (Steamboat Springs, CO), Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA), Libby Ludlow (Bellevue, WA) and Lauren Van Ness (Colorado Springs, CO) scheduled to race.

FIS WOMEN'S ALPINE WORLD CUP
Women's Downhill-2

1. Carole Montillet, France, 1:24.18
2. Michaela Dorfmeister, Austria, 1:24.30
3. Renate Goetschl, Austria, 1:24.41

U.S. skiers

12. Jonna Mendes, Heavenly, Calif., 1:25.39
14. Kirsten Clark, Raymond, Maine, 1:25.45
15. Lindsey Kildow, Burnsville, Minn., 25.48
26T. Bryna McCarty, Concord, Vt., 1:25.70
29. Alison Powers, Winter Park, Colo., 1:25.80
36. Caroline Lalive, Steamboat Springs, Colo., 1:26.10
47. Libby Ludlow, Bellevue, Wash., 1:26.90
55. Lauren Van Ness, Colorado Springs, Colo., 1:28.42

— Courtesy of US Ski Team