In-form Innerhofer wins Wengen downhill

Christophe Innerhofer received a welcome boost ahead of next month’s world championships by winning the classic Wengen Downhill in Switzerland on Saturday.

The 28-year-old, who was fastest in Friday’s Downhill section of the super combined, tamed the long Lauberhorn course to clock a winning time of two minutes 29.82 seconds.

It was the Italian’s his fifth career world cup victory and third downhill triumph. It was the first time in 16 years an Italian has won the Classic race at the Swiss resort – the last being Kristian Ghedina.

2011 winner Klaus Kroell was second. The Austrian missed out on his seventh world cup victory and first since March of last year by three tenths of a second.
It was his second podium finish of the season after a coming third in Downhill at Lake Louise in November.

Hannes Reichelt made sure of a second Austrian in the top three. The 32-year-old, who won the downhill in Bormio Italy last month, trailed Innerhofer by 0.76.

The men’s world cup stays in Wengen for Sunday’s Slalom race.

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