Switzerland’s Janka quickest in first training run for men’s World Cup downhill

LAKE LOUISE, Alta. – Switzerland’s Carlo Janka was fastest in Thursday’s training for the season-opening men’s World Cup downhill.

Janka posted a time of one minute 50.20 seconds ahead of a pair of Austrians.

The men race a downhill Saturday and a super-G on Sunday in Lake Louise, Alta., west of Calgary.

Janka, 33, is looking for his first downhill victory since 2010 when he won in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.

The first scheduled training run Wednesday was cancelled. Poor weather conditions in Calgary would not allow an ambulance helicopter to land there.

Matthias Mayer was second Thursday in 1:50.34. Vincent Kriechmayr, who was second in super-G in Lake Louise last year, finished two tenths of a second behind his Austrian teammate.

Austria placed four men in the top six with defending champion Max Franz fifth in 1:50.76.

Toronto’s Jack Crawford was the top Canadian in 20th finishing 1.34 seconds behind Janka in clear, cold conditions at the mountain resort.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 28, 2019.