(Adds standings)
By Steve Keating
LAKE LOUISE, Dec 3 Canada - American Lindsey
Kildow won a women's Alpine skiing downhill on Saturday to
repeat her first World Cup victory on the same Lake Louise piste
exactly a year ago.
Kildow, starting 27th out of 60 starters on a crisp and
clear but blustery day in the Canadian Rockies, overcame a big
wobble midway through her run to clock a winning time of one
minute 49.51 seconds.
"I was more lucky today than yesterday, I guess I got better
gusts of wind today than yesterday," said Kildow, who finished
fifth in the first of back-to-back downhills staged at the
resort on Friday.
"I think to win here again and confirm my victory from last
year was worth a lot.
"I was disappointed yesterday so I had to prove something
today."
Switzerland's Sylviane Berthod was second, 0.03 adrift and
ahead of four Austrians with Michaela Dorfmeister rounding off
the podium.
Kildow, who has played down comparisons with retired
compatriot Picabo Street, celebrated the first win of her World
Cup career on the Olympic piste last Dec. 3. The Vail skier has
not won since then.
But a fifth place finish in the first of back-to-back
downhills on Friday, hinted that the 21-year-old American was
poised to make a return to the podium.
NASTY CRASH
The swirling, gusting wind turned the race into a bit of a
lottery with Kildow drawing the lucky number, starting bib
number 27.
"The conditions were changing between racers, some girls
were taking the wind from the front and some from the back,"
said Dorfmeister, runner-up in Friday's downhill.
"Conditions like this put the good skiers in front. Good
skiers like me like this course."
Italian Elena Fanchini, the world championship silver
medallist who took her maiden win in Friday's opening downhill
of the season, failed to reach the podium but posted another
strong result crossing seventh.
Jonna Mendes, one of the first racers out of the start hut,
suffered a nasty crash that caused a brief delay. The American
landed heavily on her back but stood up and was assisted off the
course.
Dorfmeister, who has announced that she will retire at the
end of season, looks poised to try to go out on top and took
over first place in the overall rankings with 149 points. Kildow
is second on 145 and Fanchini with 136.
The two top contenders for the overall crown, Janica
Kostelic of Croatia and Anja Paerson both slipped down the
rankings as they struggled to find their form in the speed
events.
Kostelic, a two-time overall winner, finished 28th while
Paerson, the reigning overall champion, was 53rd.
The women wrap up their races here with the first super-G of
the season on Sunday before moving to Aspen, Colorado.