Kvitfjell, Norway –The men’s Audi FIS Alpine World Cup downhill title was pushed to the wire on Saturday as Austrian Klaus Kroell snagged the discipline lead from Swiss veteran Didier Cuche with a victory on the 1994 Olympic track in Norway. Norwegians Kjetil Jansrud and Aksel Lund Svindal finished 2-3.

With just one downhill remaining on March 14 at World Cup Finals in Schladming, Austria, Kroell carries a 48-point lead over Cuche, who finished 10th on the day. Another Swiss, Beat Feuz, was fourth to bump his overall lead to 55 points ahead of Marcel Hircher of Austria, who did not compete.

Travis Ganong, of Squaw Valley, Calif., was the top U.S. finisher in 30th. Middleton, Idaho’s Erik Fisher was having a strong performance before crashing out mid race.

The World Cup’s top 25 athletes and the Junior World Champion in Downhill, Ryan Cochran-Siegle of Starksboro, Vt., are qualified to compete in the Finals downhill in Schladming. Franconia, N.H.’s Bode Miller qualified for Finals with fourth in the downhill standings, but will not compete due to a season-ending injury.

Three Canadians have qualified for the World Cup Finals in downhill, including Erik Guay, Jan Hudec and Ben Thomsen, who finished in ninth in Saturday’s race.

“Obviously conditions were a little different today,” Thomsen, of Invermere, British Columbia, said of Saturday’s course becoming hard and icy. “It feels a lot faster when it’s rough, totally hard snow. Down in the middle I thought I skied awesome. My outside ski gave out on me and I caught an edge but whatever – that’s racing. I’m happy to be here.”

Guay, of Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, started 17^th but cut a frustrated figure as he crossed the line in 12th position on Saturday on what has traditionally been one of his favorite hills.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Audi FIS Alpine World Cup
Kvitfjell, Norway – Mar. 3, 2012
Men’s Downhill