Austrian Michaela Dorfmeister ended teammate Renate Goetschl's amazing victory streak in Cortina at three Sunday, winning a World Cup downhill by more than a half-second. Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA) finished eighth and Kirsten Clark (Raymond, ME) was 10th as four U.S. women broke into the top 20.

Dorfmeister finished in 1:36.62 with Goetschl, who had won both super Gs plus Saturday's downhill in Cortina, second at 1:37.21. In 40-degree weather, Mancuso's time was 1:37.92 and Clark continued her comeback with her second top-10 in 24 hours, finishing in 1:38.09.

Caroline Lalive (Steamboat Springs, CO) tied for 13th and Lindsey Kildow (Vail, CO), who had two top-3s in Cortina, was 18th. Bryna McCarty (Concord, VT) made it five in the top 25, finishing 23rd in the final downhill before the World Championships begin Jan. 29 in Bormio.

"We'd have liked to have someone back on the podium," said DH/SG Head Coach Alex Hoedlmoser, "but I'm really pleased because the girls were charging, just attacking all the way. Julia did a fantastic job, just ripping, and Kirsten had another top 10, so that's even better for her confidence; she's getting it back in every race...

"Lindsey was really flying but then she had a huge mistake and it didn't work out," Hoedlmoser said. "She was out there to win it, risking everything. On a big sweeping turn on the bottom section, a turn with a lot of forces, she was taking a very direct line and she moved inside a little at the end of the turn. You had to have absolute perfect body position and she was just inside a little...and that happens when you're attacking. If you don't risk anything, you don't win anything."

Clark, returning after a crash last January in which she tore ligaments in both knees and broke her right wrist, savored her first two top-10s of the season. "It definitely feels good to be in the top 10 again, but the bigger aspect is just racing again. In all the races leading into Cortina," she explained, "I was racing, just going for it and sending it down the hill wasn't where it could be. But I'm back on track now. This definitely gives me good confidence heading into Worlds."

Cortina hosted four races, two super Gs and then back-to-back downhills, in five days a week after Santa Caterina, Italy - the women's venue for the World Alpine Ski Championships opening Jan. 29 - held four races in four days, picking up two DHs weathered-out in Val d'Isere and a giant slalom and slalom from snowless Berchtesgaden, Germany. Clark and Hoedlmoser agreed back-to-back weeks of four races posed a heavy burden on the teams, "but," said Clark, "it's great they made up those races.

"Yeah, it's a busy two weeks, but it was well worth it to get on the World champs hill before the championships, so we have a good feeling before we go into those races. It's a great hill, fast and with a technical gliding section."

The women compete Thursday night in a slalom in Zagreb, Croatia - the first World Cup race in that nation - and visit Maribor, Slovenia, for their annual GS/SL weekend next Saturday and Sunday in the last races before Worlds.

WOMEN'S ALPINE WORLD CUP
Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA - Jan. 16, 2005
Women's DH-2

1. Michaela Dorfmeister, Austria, 1:36.62
2. Renate Goetschl, Austria, 1:37.21
3. Hilde Gerg, Germany, 1:37.40
4. Janica Kostelic, Croatia, 1:37.43
5. Anja Paerson, Sweden, 1:37.72

8. Julia Mancuso, Olympic Valley, Calif., 1:37.92
10. Kirsten Clark, Raymond, Maine, 1:38.09
13T. Caroline Lalive, Steamboat Springs, Colo., 1:38.22
18. Lindsey Kildow, Vail, Colo., 1:38.31
23. Bryna McCarty, Concord, Vt., 1:38.75
34. Jonna Mendes, Heavenly, Calif., 1:39.76

— Courtesy of US Ski Team