LAKE LOUISE, Alberta (AP) — Maria Hoefl-Riesch of Germany was fastest in a World Cup downhill training run Thursday, a session Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn skipped ahead of Friday’s race.
Hoefl-Riesch, the 2011 overall World Cup champion and a two-time gold medalist at the 2010 Vancouver Games, covered the course in 1 minute, 56.52 seconds.
Lotte Smiseth Sejersted of Norway was second fastest Thursday in 1:56.61, followed by Anna Fenninger of Austria in 1:57.04.
The current overall standings leader, Lara Gut of Switzerland, tied for fourth in the second training run at Lake Louise. Stacey Cook was the top American on Thursday in 16th, with Laurenne Ross 18th, Leanne Smith 20th, and Julia Mancuso 37th.
Vonn, who did Wednesday’s training run, said she’ll return to competition for the first time in 10 months by racing Friday.
