Kitzbuehel, Austria (Wednesday, January 21, 2004) - Forget about the NFL, Houston and Super Bowl XXXVIII. This weekend, it's FIS, Kitz and skiing's Super Bowl - Hahnenkamm LXIV.

The 64th running of the storied Hahnenkamm downhill takes place Saturday in Kitzbuehel, but as usual it's surrounded by a festive schedule that gets underway Thursday with a downhill that's already been canceled and shifted three times (from Bormio to Chamonix to Wengen...and now to Kitz).

Friday, there's the regularly scheduled super G, Saturday's it's Showtime of the highest order with the Hahnenkamm downhill (defending champion: Daron Rahlves - Sugar Bowl, CA), and Sunday things conclude with a slalom and combined calculation blending Saturday's DH and the SL.

Rahlves says the Hahnenkamm is almost equal parts energy and excitement, generating tension for racers, coach and the vast majority of the tens of thousands of spectators – 100,000 or more if the weather's sunny.

"I'm excited about the races here. I've got two chances at the downhill, which is my favorite," said Rahlves, one of the five athletes who have won the five downhills thus far this season. Two of his goals this season were the Chevy Trucks Birds of Prey at Beaver Creek in early December and the Hahnenkamm; his victory in one of Beaver Creek's DHs leaves him halfway to his goal.

He's also stoked about the super G Friday. "All that time on this hill is awesome," Rahlves said. Says Austrian great Stephan Eberharter, "It's always something special to race here, who preceded Rahlves as the Hahnenkamm champ in 2002.

"Every year," Rahlves said, "this is the No. 1 thing for me, the No. 1 competition of the season, the ultimate race."

In a discussion of the fabled 3.3K Streif course, Rahlves says he gets things flowing in the start gate as waxing wizard Willi Wiltz wipes his race skis one more time before Rahlves steps in and gets ready to rumble.

"I just try to collect myself in that last little moment I have before I head on course," Rahlves said. "You can feel some excitement, some tension, a lot of energy. I'll be breathing hard, trying to get as much win in my lungs as I can. That fires me up a little more. I hear Willie breathing hard, too, and we're both just ready to go. Let's see what we've got for the race."

That's Rahlves' introduction to the Streif, arguably the most famous course in alpine racing. His description takes listeners down the course, out of the start and over the Mausefalle, down to the Steilhang, and on through the various sections of the 3.3K course...down to the Zielschuss, the final stretch leading to the finish while the thousands of spectators go crackers all along the course.

"There's nothing like winning in Kitzbuehel...nothing," he says.