Ruiz Castillo wins Meribel downhill

MERIBEL, France (AFP) –

Spain’s Carolina Ruiz Castillo reacts in the finish area as she wins the FIS Ski World Cup women’s downhill on February 23, 2013 in the French Alps resort of Meribel. Castillo registered her first alpine skiing World Cup victory, the 31-year-old claiming the women’s downhill.

Spain’s Carolina Ruiz Castillo registered her first alpine skiing World Cup victory here on Saturday, the 31-year-old claiming the women’s downhill.

Born in Chile, Ruiz Castillo prevailed in a time of 1min 42.56sec to beat Germany’s Maria Hoefl-Riesch (at 0.20sec) and Marie Marchand-Arvier (0.21) of France.

This was only her second podium finish, 13 years after her first when she finished runner-up in the giant slalom on the Italian slope of Sestriere.

Ruiz Castillo is the first Spaniard to win a women’s World Cup downhill – compatriot Blanca Fernandez Ochoa having won three slaloms and one giant slalom between 1985 and 1992.

“I’m really happy, that’s what we work for,” said Ruiz Castillo.

“I’ve felt comfortable on this slope over the past two days and my results in training were good but you still have to confirm it on the day of the race.”

Fourth behind Ruiz Castillo was Slovenia’s Tina Maze, who leads the overall World Cup standings on 1744 points, 858 clear of Hoefl-Riesch.