Lindsey Kildow (Vail, CO), who took a nasty fall during a World Cup downhill at Lake Louise several years ago, conquered the mountain Friday and re-wrote U.S. skiing history, winning the opening downhill of the Women's Winterstart Weekend and leading six Americans into the top 20. It's the first time U.S. skiers have won men's and women's World Cup DHs on the same day.

Kildow, starting 17th, was timed in an unofficial 1:23.44 to edge Olympic DH champion Carole Montillet of France (1:23.63). Caroline Lalive (Steamboat Springs, CO) was ninth, Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA) 15th, Bryna McCarty (Concord, VT) 17th, Jonna Mendes (Heavenly, CA) 19th and Kirsten Clark (Raymond, ME) 20th.

It was her first World Cup victory and came a short time after Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) and Daron Rahlves (Sugar Bowl, CA) went 1-2 in the downhill at the VISA Birds of Prey races in Beaver Creek, Colo.

— Courtesy of US Ski Team