Thomsen 3rd at training session

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia -- Canadian Benjamin Thomsen was third Wednesday on the opening World Cup training session on the 2014 Sochi Olympics downhill course.

Hannes Reichelt of Austria led all skiers with a time of two minutes 12.91 seconds down the steep and technical Rosa Khutor slope. under bright sunshine and good, hard snow conditions.

Swiss standout Didier Cuche, who has announced he will retire at the end of this season, was second, 0.25 seconds behind, and Thomsen, a 24-year-old from Invermere, B.C., was third, 0.69 behind.

Erik Guay of Mont-Tremblant, Que., was eighth.

Skiers said the course requires all-around skills because it was so technical, with few gliding sections. That fits Reichelt, who has won four World Cup super-Gs and one giant slalom, plus posted three podium results in downhill.

More training sessions are scheduled before racing begins on Saturday.