Klammer wins downhill

Press, 23 January 1984, Page 19

Klammer wins downhill

NZFA-Reuter Kitzbuehel Franz Klammer raced to his fourth victory in the “Hahnenkamm" event in Kitzbuehel, Austria, on Saturday to lead an Austrian sweep of the honours in the toughest men's downhill in the World Cup ski calendar. Klammer, aged 30, sped down the gruelling 3500 m “Streif” course, which drops 860 m, in 2min 02.82 s to record his twenty-fifth win in 10 years of World Cup racing.

His compatriots Erwin Resch and Anton Steiner took second and third places in 2.4)3.39 and 2:03,43 respec-ti'-ely to complete Austria’s victory before a record crowd of more than 20,000. Bruce Grant from New Zealand was placed sixtieth with a time of 2:10.22 out of the 65 finishers. Klammer said later that he bad been determined to win "and went hell for leather putting myself into the hands of fate.” He came down the course exhibiting the same aggression which carried him to the Olympic gold in 1976. But it was the slalom specialist, Steiner, who sprang the surprise of the day, starting later and edging out Switzerland’s Pirmin Zurbriggen, who was already celebrating his third position. Last year’s winner, Todd Brooker, of Canada, failed to finish after falling on the upper part of the piste. Leading placings were.— Franz Klammer (Austria) 2:02.82, 1; Erwin Resch (Austria) 2:03.39, 2; Anton Steiner (Austria) 2:03.43, 3; Pirmin Zurbriggen (Switzerland) 2;03.44, 4; Peter Wirnsberger (Austria) 2:03.54, 5; Urs Raeber (Switzerland) 2:03.75, 6... Steven Lee (Australia) 2:04.19, 13 ... Bruce Grant (New Zealand) 2:10.22, 60. Sixty-nine starters, 65 finished.