LAKE LOUISE, Alta. — Beat Feuz of Switzerland won the season-opening men's World Cup downhill Saturday.

The reigning world champion posted a winning time of one minute 43.76 seconds in Lake Louise, Alta.

Feuz edged runner-up Matthias Mayer of Austria by just under a tenth of a second. Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway was third in 1:44.08.

Erik Guay of Mont-Tremblant, Que., withdrew from the race because of a sore back that tightened up in Friday's training run.

Vancouver's Manuel Osborne-Paradis was the top Canadian in 20th. A super-G is scheduled for Sunday.

In memory of French skier David Poisson, who died Nov. 13 in a training accident at nearby Nakiska ski resort, the men had heart-shaped stickers with his initials on their helmets and their race bibs bore his name.

The French raced Saturday with Adrien Theaux posting their best result in seventh.