Stuhec adds second World Cup downhill win at Lake Louise
The Slovenian earned the first World Cup win of her career in the first downhill of the season on Friday and added another ahead of Lara Gut on Sunday.
Ilka Stuhec claimed the women's World Cup downhill at Lake Louise on Saturday, holding off World Cup overall champion Lara Gut for her second victory in as many days.
Slovenia's Stuhec, who notched the first World Cup win of her career in the first downhill of the season on Friday, topped the podium again in 1min 24.95sec.
Switzerland's Gut, who failed to earn a point last weekend at Killington after a heavy crash and was shut out of the podium in fourth place on Friday, finished second in 1:25.06 to seize second place in the overall World Cup standings.
Hungary's Edit Miklos was third in 1:25.38.
"I think [running early] was really an advantage because right now the snowfall is getting worse and worse," said Stuhec, who was the fourth runner on a course that was shortened because of the unfavorable weather.
"I had to calm myself down after yesterday and prepare myself for the race today which, apparently, I did pretty well," added Stuhec, who nevertheless admitted that she was on pins and needles waiting to see if anyone would get past her -- tension she didn't face after winning Friday as the 29th starter.
Gut was delighted to pick up her first downhill podium finish of the season. "I'm happy and since this year I finally have the feeling that I know what I'm doing on this slope," said Gut. "It's a good improvement, and I'm looking forward to tomorrow for the super-G. I'm going to try to ski even faster and cleaner."
Shiffrin retains lead
American slalom star Mikaela Shiffrin, who is making her first foray into downhill this weekend, maintained her spot atop the overall standings.
Her 13th-place finish, 1.46sec behind Stuhec, put her on 358 points to Gut's 230 overall. Sofia Goggia of Italy is in third on 207, followed by Stuhec on 200.
Shiffrin improved on her 18th place from Friday. While she was pleased with her progress, she indicated she doesn't have her sights set on supplanting compatriot Lindsey Vonn as the sport's queen of speed.
Vonn, owner of 18 wins at Lake Louise, missed the stop in the Canadian Rockies this year with a broken arm suffered in a November crash, but expects to be back early in 2017.
"I don't know how many more downhills I'll do this year, but just doing it at all and feeling that speed is an amazing experience," Shiffrin said. "I'll just try to lock that feeling away in my journal and then see what happens next time I do a downhill.
"I'll be back on the downhill circuit, but I have to keep sight of my real goals this season."