Women's DH Podium

Cavagnoud Wins Cortina Downhill
At 28, France's Regine Cavagnoud has celebrated her first success in a World Cup race in winning the downhill in Cortina d'Ampezzo, the last prior the Ski World Championships in Vail. The skier from La Clusaz, who has been racing since 1990 on the World Cup tour, beat Italian favorite Isolde Kostner, a three-time winner here, by 14/100 of a second.

Germany's Hilde Gerg came 3rd at 20/100 in front of her teammate Regina Haeusl and Switzerland's Corinne Rey-Bellet who placed 4th and 5th.

It was a very disappointing day for the Austrian team: Renate Goetschl took only a far 8th place in front of Michaela Dorfmeister, while Alexandra Meissnitzer was a distant 18th at 1.35 seconds back.

Canada's Melanie Turgeon was the best North American in 13th place. The best US skiers, Megan Gerety, Kathleen Monahan and Kirsten Clark came 28th, 29th and 30th.

"It was about time that one of us wins again a downhill..." — Regine Cavagnoud

The winner was very proud to be the first French to clinch a downhill since the success of Caroline Attia in Sansicario, Italy, in 1982. "It was about time that one of us wins again a downhill," said Cavagnoud. "Many of us came often 2nd in the past years and we were all very motivated to break this kind of record. This place brings us luck: last year Melanie Suchet won a Super-G here. It's a great way to prepare the World Championships at Vail."

"I have to wait a long time this moment and I almost can't believe that I made it. I felt very confident since the season start. I achieved good performances in several races and I was 2nd in Veysonnaz in December. The conditions were excellent today and my run quite perfect," Cavagnoud said.

	2nd place Isolde Kostner (ITA)

Kostner, twice 2nd in November in Canada, found back all her momentum when she came back in Cortina. "I feel so well here, " she said. "The weather is great and the course wonderful too. I had not so much fun in the past week and I was looking forward to compete again here. I lost much time in the upper part, but I was very fast at the end. This gives me great confidence before the coming super-G races."

A first Super-G is planned for Friday with two more races over the weekend.

— Mountain Zone European Correspondent