04/12/2005

Defending overall Alpine World Cup champion Bode Miller picked up his first victory of the season Saturday, leading a 1-2-4 U.S. finish in a GS. Miller, who tied for the lead after the first run, nearly went down twice in the second, but finished with a total time of 2 minutes, 34.56 seconds. Daron Rahlves, who beat Miller in a 1-2 U.S. Downhill Friday, was second today, 0.49 seconds back.

Kalle Palander of Finland, tied with Miller after the first run, finished third, 1.23 seconds off the pace. Erik Schlopy of the United States was fourth, another hundredth of a second behind, despite skiing with his left hand taped up after smashing it into a gate on the opening run. Fifteen of the 70 starters failed to finish the first run, including Benjamin Raich of Austria, the 2004-05 World Cup GS champion and silver medalist at the World Championships.