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Best-ever Brit World Champs
Downhill result
 Finlay
Mickel gave every last ounce of energy in the Men's Downhill on
Saturday to carve his way into the record books with a record 11th
place.
This bettered the 15th place by Konrad Bartelski in St Moritz in
1974. "That was amazing for me," Mickel told delighted
international reporters. "It is great to pull out a big performance
at a big event like this!" he continued.
The race was won by Bode Miller with a classic example of superb
race tactics. Miller had gambled on getting an early start number
as he believed that the course would break up. In training he had
slowed down in the final stages and had ended up with start number
3 for the race (the fastest 30 in practice go in reverse order in
the race).
Miller had an anxious wait in the finish as each racer came down,
but was proved right and took another first place.
Great experience for Cruickshank
Britain's other race, Roger Cruickshank, was not as successful.
After having the "biggest crash of my career" in training,
Cruickshank was always going to struggle and showed great courage
and steel to get back and attack the hill again. Sadly he got off
line near the finish and failed to finish. "I have thoroughly
enjoyed the experience," the 22 year old RAF Officer said.
For Mickel, this result means he has now made the criteria for top
level funding for next year but still needs more sponsorship. "My
head sponsors - Ski Independence - are only on there as I have no
one else, grateful that I am, I still need more!" (www.finlaymickel.com
for more information)
 Alcott's
19th also a new Brit best
Chemmy Alcott set a new best result for a British woman in the Women's
Downhill on Sunday by finishing in 19th place.
The 22 year old from Hove had mixed feelings after the race as she
felt that a top 15 result had been within her grasp. "I was
only two tenths away from a top fifteen result," Alcott explained
afterwards. The race was won by the Croatian Janica Kostelic ahead
of Italian surprise Elena Fanchini and Renate Goetschl.
Goetschl, who had set out her goal for the year as a medal at the
World Championships, was ahead at the early splits but lost a lot
of time on her way down the lower section of the course.
Elena Fanchini's run had rocked the racers in the finish with her
time that bettered the best time in the finish by 1.93 seconds.
In the end only Kostelic was able to better it and Fanchini took
Italy's first medal at the World Championships in the Downhill for
43 years.
[Details from Neil McQuoid of Racer Ready]
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