Avon, CO - Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) led the opening downhill training Tuesday as the Audi Birds of Prey ski racing week began in Beaver Creek under bluebird skies. Miller also was fastest in the two downhill training runs he started in Lake Louise.




Miller, timed in 1:42.82, finished nearly a full second ahead of Frenchman David Poisson with Italian Werner Heel in third. NorAm super G champion Kevin Francis (Bend, OR) followed Miller as the next top American in 26th followed by Erik Fisher (Middleton, ID) in 29th. Fisher made a successful return to racing this winter after missing last season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his knee.

As athletes spent the first training day figuring out the course and conditions, 37 racers were disqualified for missing a gate and six did not finish.

The Birds of Prey downhill is known as one of the most difficult on the World Cup tour. A second training run is scheduled for today beginning at 11 a.m. local time.