Skiing: Cuche captures Lake Louise downhill
Posted: 29 November 2009 0941 hrs

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LAKE LOUISE, Canada: Swiss veteran Didier Cuche kicked off the first speed races of the men's Alpine World Cup season by winning the downhill here Saturday.

The 35-year-old Cuche clocked a time of one minute, 50.31 seconds, finishing ahead of Italy's Werner Heel, who was second in 1:50.75 and his third place compatriot Carlo Janka in 1:50.93.

Cuche said he always felt in the back of his mind he could have success at Lake Louise but he was never able to put it all together until Saturday's race.

"I have been fast in downhill training runs here before but never brought it to the race," said Cuche who posted the fastest time in Wednesday's training run. "I found the same feeling today that I had in the first training run."

Skiing under a steady snowfall, Cuche registered his first downhill victory since winning in Kitzbuhel in January 2008. It was also his 11th career World Cup win.

"It is really nice to be first place again in the downhill," said Cuche who also won the season opening giant slalom in Solden, Austria last month. "I just want to enjoy this moment and not think too far ahead."

Cuche has been one of the most consistent overall skiers on the World Cup the past few years. He has enjoyed good success at Lake Louise in the Super-G but has not had much luck in the downhill. His best previous downhill finish here was a fifth three years ago.

This weekend's races in the Canadian Rockies mark the first Alpine speed events of the World Cup with a Super-G also set for Sunday.

They also come just 10 weeks before the start of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The Olympic alpine events will be held at the British Columbia ski resort of Whistler, 740 kilometres (460 miles) southwest of Lake Louise.

In Vancouver, Cuche will be hoping to improve on his 12th place finish in the Super-G at the last Olympics in Turin, Italy.

Cuche, who posted the fastest time in Wednesday training run, earned 31,000 CAN dollars in first place prize money.

Like Cuche, Heel has been running fast at Lake Louise in practice this week placing third in Friday's training run.

"To be on the podium is exciting," Heel said. "It is a great way to start the season."

The 27-year-old Italian collected his fifth World Cup podium as he gears up for his first Olympics in Vancouver.

"I am looking forward to the Olympics in 10 weeks," he said.

Janka, 23, shocked the field last year at Lake Louise by coming from the back of the pack to finish second in the downhill. Janka started from the 65th spot to almost catch winner Peter Fill.

This marks his fourth career podium finish.

"There is more pressure on me this year," said Janka who was one of seven Swiss in the top 19. "I am just happy I can handle it."

Defending men's overall World Cup champion Askel Lund Svindal was nursing a sore knee and finished 33rd.

Former two-time overall champ Bode Miller of the US placed a disappointing 29th.

- AFP/yb