Michael Walchhofer and Bode Miller set the pace for the season-opening men’s World Cup downhill by clocking the fastest times in final training at Lake Louise — the course where they both had their maiden downhill wins.

Walchhofer, a winner on Whitehorn mountain in 2003 and the reigning World Cup downhill champion, signalled he was ready to defend his crown with the hard-charging Austrian clocking a time of one minute 50.66 seconds.

Miller, who claimed back-to-back victories in Lake Louise in 2004 capturing the downhill and super-G, also looked in superb early season form crossing in 1:51.25 just in front of Italy’s Werner Heel.

Downhill world champion John Kucera, another skier who has found success on Whitehorn mountain by topping the super-G podium in 2007 followed by a second-place finish in the downhill a year ago, gave the home fans reason to cheer by clocking the day’s fourth fastest time.

Launching their Olympic build-up on home snow, the ”Canadian Cowboys” will have plenty of support this weekend but the Austrians have also made themselves at home in the Rockies, claiming 10 of the last 18 races staged at the resort.

“I always feel well here, I won my first downhill here,” Walchhofer said. “I am the defending downhill champion and I want to show my rivals I am ready to defend my title.

“But everything tomorrow will depend on the weather and the start number. Here you are fighting against the weather more than the course.”

Miller, back with the US ski team after two seasons going it alone on the World Cup circuit, arrives in Lake Louise eager to end a winless drought that stretches back nearly two years.

The twice overall World Cup champion shut down his season after the world championships in February and had considered retirement before ending his feud with the US programme.

“It’s okay, I had some problem with the visibility,” shrugged Miller, who has not celebrated a World Cup win since a downhill victory in Kvitjell in March 2008. “It’s nice to be skiing, getting back in rhythm.”

Norway’s overall World Cup champion Aksel Lund Svindal is also on the comeback trail in the Rockies as he returns to action after spending several weeks in Miami working out and receiving therapy on an injured leg.

“This is where I want to be, the leg is not 100 percent but it’s good enough,” said Svindal, who took super-G wins in 2008 and 2006 at Lake Louise. “I really didn’t think I would be able to ski here but the recovery has gone pretty well.”

For Canadian downhillers the battle for one of four Olympic berths begins this weekend. Competition will be fierce with Kucera and fellow World Cup winners Erik Guay, Jan Hudec and Manuel Osborne Paradis plus Robbie Dixon putting down markers.

Alpine Skiing World Cup Lake Louise:

Men’s Downhill — Saturday 6.30pm LIVE on British Eurosport (Sky 410 / Virgin Media 521) & Eurosport Player

Men’s Super-G — Sunday 6pm LIVE on British Eurosport (Sky 410 / Virgin Media 521) & Eurosport Player

http://www.michaelwalchhofer.at/

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Tags: Bode Miller, Canada, FIS Alpine World Cup, Lake Louise ski resort, Michael Walchhofer