Innerhofer wins Garmisch downhill

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany (AFP) –

Christof Innerhofer competes in the FIS World Cup downhill in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany on February 23, 2013

Italian Christof Innerhofer competes during the FIS World Cup men’s downhill in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, southern Germany, on February 23, 2013. Innerhofer won the race, Austria’s Georg Streitberger came second and his compatriot Austria’s Klaus Kroell placed third.

Italy’s Christof Innerhofer claimed his third win of the alpine skiing World Cup season on Saturday in the downhill at Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

In a time of 1min 37.83secs, Innerhofer finished 12 hundredths of a second ahead of Austria’s Georg Streitberger, with another Austrian, Klaus Kroell, four hundredths further back in third on a shortened course due to heavy snow.

World champion Aksel Lund Svindal, of Norway, was fifth at 0.47secs, to put him at the top of the World Cup standings for the downhill.

The 28-year-old Innerhofer enjoyed the sixth victory of his World Cup career on Garmisch’s Khandahar course, where he won Super-G gold, silver in the super combined and downhill bronze at the 2011 world championships.

“Already when we got here, the great memories started coming back, especially on the lift up to the start, which was huge motivation for me,” said Innerhofer.

The racing in Garmisch continues on Sunday with the giant slalom, where world champion Ted Ligety starts as favourite after claiming Super-G, super combined and giant slalom gold at the recent Schladming world championships.