German Max Rauffer out-battled gusting winds Saturday to win his first World Cup race, a downhill where Bryon Friedman (Park City, UT) equaled his best result, finishing seventh, while Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) and Daron Rahlves (Sugar Bowl, CA) tied for 14th. JJ Johnson (also Park City) scored his first World Cup points in 24th place.

Organizers lowered the start of the race to just above the super-G start because of the high winds, shortening the course by nearly 300 meters. The race was stopped at one point - with Rahlves in the start house - as course crews had to catch a young deer, which had come onto the course and made its way through the finish area to loud cheers (but, despite its fast time, was disqualified because it wasn't wearing a bib). When the deer was caught and released outside the safety nets, Rahlves had to wait while the winds died down before he could race.

Rauffer, who had only one World Cup podium in nearly a decade of World Cup racing, skied 13th and finished in 1:50.59 with Swiss Juerg Grunenfelder second in 1:50.64. In third place was Austrian Johann Grugger (1:50.72).

Five Americans in top 30

Friedman, who was seventh Dec. 3 when Miller and Rahlves produced their historic 1-2 finish in DH at the VISA Birds of Prey downhill in Beaver Creek, Colo., was timed in 1:51.40. Miller, the World Cup leader, and Rahlves each finished in 1:51.85; after 12 races, Miller has 798 points to 419 for Austrian Hermann Maier, who tied for 37th Saturday, with Rahlves in fifth place (274).

Johnson, starting 53rd, finished 24th with a time of 1:52.21. Scott Macartney (Redmond, WA), coming back after missing much of last season with knee problems, also was in the points, finishing 28th (1:52.63). Said DH/super G Head Coach John McBride, "There was a lot of good skiing by our guys in some nasty wind, and I'm proud of what they did. It seemed there were some swirling winds when Rauffer and some guys around him went, and it turned into a bit of tailwind, which was good for them...and the rest got headwinds. But there's no complaint on that - this is an outdoor sport and it happens, and our top guns and the others did well, so we leave here with a smile.

"And for JJ and Scotty Mac to be in the points is outstanding. They skied so well and deserved it because they were solid, focused...did what we wanted 'em to do."

Friedman, who was in a French hospital a week ago with a leg infection stemming from a training crash two weeks earlier in Canada, said the wind was calm as he started 12th (Rauffer ran 13th and Gruenenfelder 15th). "It was sweet. obviously, with the wind, it was kind of a crapshoot but I had the wind on my side and I tied my personal best, and coming out of a hospital bed, it was pretty good," Friedman said.

"It was super gusty; the winds were in and out, and you couldn't tell how it would be. Some guys had a lot [of headwind], you just couldn't tell. I don't remember catching too much headwind up top on the flats. ...I definitely didn't have a headwind."

Friedman aced the narrow Ciaslat

Friedman had been 27th Friday after getting a re-start in the super G because of racing crash while he was on course, and he aced the bottom section of the 3.15K course - through the renowned Ciaslat chute, below the treacherous Camel Jumps - for the third top-10 of his career.

"In the training runs I didn't have a lot of confidence," he said, "but I skied 100 percent [Friday] and knew I could do it. I took a tight line and nailed it."

"Five guys in the points in tough conditions, a straight-on wind race - still a good day," said Head Coach Phil McNichol. "Bode and 'D' [Rahlves] had some serious headwind but they skied well, so no complaints. And 'Freedog' top-10 again, skiing so well...points for JJ, points again for Scotty Mac...we're smiling." A breathless Johnson, the 2004 NorAm downhill runnerup who returned to the U.S. Ski Team after six seasons away, said, "It was a wild ride but this is awesome. We had a bunch of guys in there [points] today, which is so good for the team. I felt a little wind at the start but I didn't want to get behind, so I skated more than usual out of the start because that was key - don't get behind up top."

The men head next to another Dolomites resort, Alta Badia - not far from Val Gardena. They run giant slalom Sunday, have a travel day Monday and race giant slalom and slalom Tuesday and Wednesday in Flachau, Austria.

MEN'S ALPINE WORLD CUP
46th Saslong Classic
Val Gardena, ITA - Dec. 18, 2004
Men's Downhill

1. Max Rauffer, Germany, 1:50.59
2. Juerg Grunenfelder, Switzerland, 1:50.64
3. Hogann Grugger, Austria, 1:50.72
4. Fritz Strobl, Austria, 1:51.03
5. Kjetil Andre Aamodt, Norway, 1:51.26

7. Bryon Friedman, Park City, Utah, 1:51.40
14T. Bode Miller, Franconia, N.H., and Daron Rahlves, Sugar Bowl, Calif., 1:51.85 each
24. JJ Johnson, Park City, Utah, 1:52.21
28. Scott Macartney, Redmond, Wash., 1:52.63
55. Wade Bishop, Winter Park, Colo., 1:54.31
61. Jake Zamansky, Aspen, Colo., 1:56.60

— Courtesy of US Ski Team