LAKE LOUISE, Alberta -- Italy's Elena Fanchini had the
fastest training run Friday for this weekend's season-opening
women's World Cup downhill race, zipping over the 1.7-mile Men's
Olympic Downhill course in one minute, 49 seconds.
Braving temperatures that dropped to minus 6 degrees,
Switzerland's Monika Dumermuth was second in 1:49.36 and Austria's
Alexandra Meissnitzer was third in 1:49.45.
The downhill will be held Saturday and a super-giant slalom
Sunday.
Fanchini's lone downhill victory came at Lake Louise in 2005.
She said having the best time in the final training run is a
confidence boost.
"I'm very happy but tomorrow is another race," the 22-year-old
from Lovere said. "I would like to be the same for tomorrow."
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
This story is from ESPN.com's automated news wire. Wire index
Subscriptions