L a t e s t  n e w s ..... Heel wins Super G in Val Gardena with Defago and Jaerbyn on the podium ... Paerson wins Super combined from Hosp and Suter ... Walchhofer retains King of the Hill in Downhill, Miller 2 and Osborne Paradis 3 ... Gut wins Super G in St Moritz from Suter and Fanchini

'The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams' (Eleanor Roosevelt).

Mickel records another career best

Men’s World Cup Downhill, Bormio, Italy

“It just gets better and better,” said a thrilled Finlay Mickel in the finish after posting a fourth straight World Cup points finish and fifth of the season.  Having completed his target of a top twenty result before Christmas in Val Gardena, Mickel finished 13^th down the same course that will host the World Championships in February.

After a fantastic 6^th place in the final training run giving Mickel his best start number for a World Cup race, 25, Mickel was in confident form. The final training run had seen the top racers trying to sort things out and vying for starting positions. With hard and bumpy conditions, the fierce winds that came hit across the middle section of the course affected those starting early and then those starting after the elite first thirty had been.  “I had been told to keep my chest and head down through the mid section,” admitted Mickel.  This he clearly did and apart from one heart stopping moment when his left ski flew into the air, Mickel was solid and fast.  “I managed to keep the speed,” was how Mickel responded to this moment.

By “really focusing on keeping the skis running”, Mickel managed to get closer to the leading runners that had gone before him.  In the run in to the finish, Mickel pulled back 0.6seconds on the leader in the finish, Olympic Champion, Fritz Strobl. Followed down by World Champion, Michi Walchhofer, Mickel was moved down to 9^th and Walchhofer took the lead.  Last of the top seeds down was Johann Gruger and the young Austrian did his prospects of qualifying for the World Championships no harm by taking the lead from his more illustrious colleagues.  An Austrian 1, 2, 3 and 4 and no Maier in the group!  With Miller coming in behind Mickel, Mickel has now taken the scalps of both Miller and Maier this season.

For Mickel, 13^th is a career best result and one that brings him up into contention for a start place at the end of season World Cup Finals.

1 Johann Gruger (Aut)                       1.55.77

2 Michi Walchhofer (Aut)                   1.56.01

3 Fritz Strobl (Aut)                              1.56.43

13 Finlay Michel (GBR)                       1.57.54