THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SCHLADMING, Austria — Regina Sterz of Austria posted the fastest time in the first women’s downhill training at the skiing world championships on Wednesday.
Sterz timed 1 minute, 53.44 seconds on the 3.05-kilometre Streicher course to lead Lotte Smiseth Sejersted of Norway by 0.46.
Sterz finished a career-best fifth in a World Cup downhill in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, last month.
Fraenzi Aufdenblatten of Switzerland came 0.51 behind the Austrian in third. Slovenia’s Tina Maze, who won the super-G title on Tuesday, was another 0.03 behind in fourth.
Defending champion Elisabeth Goergl of Austria placed fifth, 0.62 behind.
The downhill on Sunday takes place without five-time World Cup discipline champion Lindsey Vonn, who is out for the season after injuring her knee in a crash on Tuesday.