For the second day straight, Austrian Andrea Fischbacher was the fastest in downhill training in Bansko, Bulgaria, where women's World Cup downhill and super G races are scheduled Friday through Sunday.

Fischbacher was first down the icy, turny course that got the better of a few skiers Thursday, including Lindsey Vonn, who took a spill but is OK save a sore butt, U.S. coach Jim Tracy said.

Swiss racer Fabienne Suter stayed closer to Fischbacher, who beat everyone by more than a second and a half in Wednesday's training. On Thursday, Fischbacher finished in 1 minute, 46.38 seconds and Suter was .14 seconds back. The rest of the field was still more than a second out. Tina Maze was third (1:47.50), Lara Gut fourth (1:47.62) and Maria Riesch fifth (1:48.07).

The course is likely the turniest the women have seen on the World Cup downhill tour, with four big traverses across the fall line that toss them in and out of a series of steep pitches.

Six skiers missed gates in Thursday's training, including Kaylin Richardson and Keely Kelleher while Anja Paerson and Elisabeth Goergl joined Vonn on the DNF squad.

Friday's downhill begins at 5:30 a.m. EST and will be aired live on universalsports.com.

By Shauna Farnell    
Thursday, 26 February 2009
SkiRacing.com

Thursday's training results:
Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Total Time
 1  6  55750 FISCHBACHER Andrea  1985  AUT   1:46.38
 2  20  515766 SUTER Fabienne  1985  SUI   1:46.52
 3  15  565243 MAZE Tina  1983  SLO   1:47.50
 4  19  516138 GUT Lara  1991  SUI   1:47.62
 5  12  206001 RIESCH Maria  1984  GER   1:48.07
 6  2  515573 AUFDENBLATTEN Fraenzi  1981  SUI   1:48.26
 7  9  515747 GISIN Dominique  1985  SUI   1:48.32
 8  27  195983 ROLLAND Marion  1982  FRA   1:48.42
 9  5  296729 FANCHINI Nadia  1986  ITA   1:48.53
 10  16  55069 GOETSCHL Renate  1975  AUT   1:48.65
 11  14  196460 MARCHAND-ARVIER Marie  1985  FRA   1:48.71
 12  24  296008 MERIGHETTI Daniela  1981  ITA   1:48.73
 13  7  105997 BRYDON Emily  1980  CAN   1:48.74
 14  35  515849 DETTLING Andrea  1987  SUI   1:48.75
 15  45  225206 ALCOTT Chemmy  1982  GBR   1:48.77
 16  3  537545 MANCUSO Julia  1984  USA   1:48.79
 17  17  106402 VANDERBEEK Kelly  1983  CAN   1:49.16
 18  1  515560 SCHILD Martina  1981  SUI   1:49.20
 19  30  196573 REVILLET Aurelie  1986  FRA   1:49.30
 20  34  55970 SCHMIDHOFER Nicole  1989  AUT   1:49.53
 21  37  295136 CECCARELLI Daniela  1975  ITA   1:49.81
 22  28  296473 SIORPAES Wendy  1985  ITA   1:49.83
 23  43  296427 SCHNARF Johanna  1984  ITA   1:50.17
 24  39  537582 COOK Stacey  1984  USA   1:50.21
 25  41  55766 MADER Regina  1985  AUT   1:50.45
 26  40  55818 KOEHLE Stefanie  1986  AUT   1:50.67
 27  13  106022 JANYK Britt  1980  CAN   1:50.91
 28  21  495318 RUIZ CASTILLO Carolina  1981  SPA   1:51.06
 29  26  296431 STUFFER Verena  1984  ITA   1:51.37
 30  25  195671 JACQUEMOD Ingrid  1978  FRA   1:51.45
 31  38  538038 MARSHALL Chelsea  1986  USA   1:51.71
 32  29  55588 RUMPFHUBER Ingrid  1981  AUT   1:51.94
 33  36  505449 BENT Nike  1981  SWE   1:52.08
 33  23  515806 KAMER Nadja  1986  SUI   1:52.08
 35  46  505886 KLING Kajsa  1988  SWE   1:52.92
 36  47  95050 KIRKOVA Maria  1986  BUL   1:54.88
Disqualified 1st run
   44  297153 CIPRIANI Enrica  1988  ITA   
   42  537565 KELLEHER Keely  1984  USA   
   32  537626 RICHARDSON Kaylin  1984  USA   
   31  106849 YURKIW Larisa  1988  CAN   
   18  515170 STYGER Nadia  1978  SUI   
   4  206175 STECHERT Gina  1987  GER   
Did not start 1st run
   33  295533 RECCHIA Lucia  1980  ITA   
   22  515429 DUMERMUTH Monika  1977  SUI   
Did not finish 1st run
   11  505483 PAERSON Anja  1981  SWE   
   10  537544 VONN Lindsey  1984  USA   
   8  55576 GOERGL Elisabeth  1981  AUT 

Vonn falls in training, OK for World Cup

BANSKO, Bulgaria — World Cup leader Lindsey Vonn fell during downhill training today but will be fine to compete in tommorrow's race.

"She lost a ski and went off-course and banged her back a little bit. But she's OK. She's going to be fine for tomorrow," team spokesman Doug Haney said.

Vonn, of Vail, Colo., is already skiing with a protective splint on her hand after cutting her right thumb on a broken champagne bottle.

Haney said Thursday's fall did not aggravate that injury.

"She didn't hit that at all. She's got a little bruise but she'll be fine," Haney said.

The 24-year-old American will compete in downhill and super-G races at the Bansko ski resort. She leads Germany's Maria Riesch and third-placed Anja Paerson of Sweden in the overall standings.

Associated Press
8:08 a.m., Thursday, February 26, 2009

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