LAKE LOUISE, Alta. -- Michael Walchhofer broke the Austrian men's slump with a victory in the first World Cup downhill race of the season Saturday.
Walchhofer, competing in his last World Cup season, won the race in a blistering time of one minute, 47.78 seconds. It was the first downhill win for an Austrian man since March 2009, and also came on the course where Walchhofer won his first downhill in 2003.
"It couldn't be better," said the 35-year-old from Altenmarkt, who earned the 12th downhill win of his career. "I hope it's not the last victory of my career.
"I felt good, but not perfect before the race. That I can be so fast today, it gives me a lot of self confidence for the next races."
It was a good day for the Austrian team, who placed three skiers in the top six. Mario Scheiber of Austria tied for second with Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway in a time of 1:48.33.
"I had a good feeling in the first practices and I had a good feeling today," said Scheiber. "Last year we had no victories and no Olympic medals. This year is a perfect start for our team."
Jan Hudec of Calgary gave the hometown crowd something to cheer about when he finished 11th in a time of 1:49.31.
Hudec, who has undergone six knee operations in his career and is currently battling a bad back, leaned over in the finish area and pumped his fists after starting 42nd.
"Words can't describe it," said Hudec, who was greeted by his four-year-old son in the finish area. "It was an inspired run. Short of a miracle, I don't know what else it was."
Manuel Osborne-Paradis of Invermere, B.C., was 13th in 1:49.33, Erik Guay of Mont-Tremblant, Que., 24th in 1:50.00 and Robbie Dixon of North Vancouver, B.C., 31st in 1:50.26.
Austria's Klaus Kroell was sixth in 1:48.89.
Bode Miller was the top American, placing eighth in 1:49.04.
The race was held on the 3.1-kilometre Men's Olympic Downhill Run. After a week of cold temperature and gusting winds, which cancelled one training run, it was warm and blue skies for race day.
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