L a t e s t  n e w s ..... Vonn stuns slalom specialists to win in Levi with Pieitiae Holmer second and Maria Riesch in third.... Grange wins mens race from Miller and Kostelic .... Chemmy Alcott suffers clean break of ankle in training in North America, expected to be out till New Year .... Lindsey Vonn injures left knee in training Super G in Copper Mountain, no lay off details announced

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

Welcome to the pages where Racer Ready will bring you all the news and views of what is happening in Bormio, site of the 2005 Alpine Skiing World Championships.  The races take place in Bormio (for the men) and Santa Catarina (for the women) between January 29 and 13 February.

The BBC will be broadcasting the races, delayed transmissions for the home market and for those wanting to watch the races live, Eurosport will be broadcasting live from the resort.

Racer Ready will bring you all the news from the races, behind the scenes and interviews with those taking part.

#Latest News stories coming from Bormio and Santa Catarina#

FIS announces that there will be a race on Thursday (posted 9 February)

Sarah Lewis announced at the managers meeting that there will be a Men's Giant Slalom on Thursday.  This after the television strike on Wednesday.  154 racers will go, Noel Baxter races for Britain starting at 57.

TV strike

It could only happen in Italy.  (More)

Norwegian journalists struggle with language and transport (posted 5 February)

Three Norwegian journalists went out for a drink after the Women's Combined and at the end of the night after the designated driver had gone home the other two looked for a taxi.  No luck.  One of the group went into a booth and got a lady to call a taxi for him and one of the complimentary Audi's turned up and promptly charged the Norwegian €20 for a five minute ride!  The other journalist, having lost his buddy, walked around Bormio for 2 hours looking for a taxi without success.  At last he found two Policemen and thought if he swore at the Policemen they  would give him a lift: Sadly for him they did not understand English! Eventually the Chief of the Military Police was accosted and he understood enough to give the forlorn journalist a 5 minute lift up the hill.....all's well that ends well!

Rahlves launches into FIS with regards to technology and making racing more appealing (posted 1 February)

American Daron Rahlves launched a broadside at FIS after the second training run when asked by a journalist from the New York Times if rumours that FIS were thinking of doing away with downhill because only five nations had in recent years been at the top of the discipline.  "I am out of here if they do," replied the Californian from Truckee. For more on this story click here

Maier refuses to go to Press conference announcing Austrian Downhill Team. (posted 31 January)

Hermann Maier showed the ugly side of his persona with his non appearance at the Austrian Team Press Conference on Sunday.  Maier, who has not won a World Cup Downhill this season and was placed only fourth in the Super G, was sad and upset that he had not been pre-selected for the race.  He has known since last Saturday that he would have to qualify through the training runs.  Maier was not the only racer upset by the tough criteria set for the Austrian Downhill team: Werner Franz won the wind affected race in Val d'Isere yet was told that due to the wind he would have to qualify through the training runs as well.  Along with these two Olympic Champion Fritz Strobl and Christoph Gruber will all be fighting for the three places that are available still.  Johann Grugger has qualified already for the race itself through winning two World Cup downhills and Michi Walchhofer does not need to qualify as he is the defending World Champion from St Moritz.

Maier claimed that he was on the ergometer when the meeting and subsequent press conference took place.  "I was tired and needed to relax," Maier said, "I have known since Saturday that I had to qualify and although I am sad about this there is nothing I can do."  With opinion divided as to whether Maier should be selected automatically for the racer that he is or should be disciplined for not attending the two events, one thing is for sure: Maier will have to race like the Herminator and not like the Hermann of recent weeks in Downhill.