Alpine skiing-Paris leads the way in final men's downhill training

Italy's Dominik Paris, winner of the last men's World Cup downhill before the Cortina d'Ampezzo Alpine skiing world championships, was fastest in Saturday's final training for Sunday's showcase race.

Italy's Dominik Paris, winner of the last men's World Cup downhill before the Cortina d'Ampezzo Alpine skiing world championships, was fastest in Saturday's final training for Sunday's showcase race. The 31-year-old set a time of one minute 39.57 seconds down the Italian resort's Vertigine piste, but some rivals skied only part of the course or slowed before the finish.

Austrian Max Franz was second fastest, 0.13 slower, with Switzerland's Beat Feuz, the 2017 world champion, third. The new piste was criticised after Friday's training but skiers said some overnight changes had made it more to their liking.

"Today it is much more pleasant to ski. Some of the passages I skied well, some I can ski better. I'll have to do better tomorrow," said Austria's super-G winner Vincent Kriechmayr, who was 11th fastest. Kriechmayr won downhill bronze last time around in Are, Sweden, in 2019.

"It will be a pretty exciting and close race tomorrow. The course looks better now," agreed Paris. Reigning world champion Kjetil Jansrud of Norway was 24th on the timesheets.

Sunday's race will be held without spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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