Los Angeles (AFP) - Reigning World Cup downhill champion Aleksander Aamodt Kilde out-dueled Marco Odermatt to win the men's World Cup downhill at Beaver Creek, Colorado, on Saturday despite feeling the effects of flu.
Norway's Kilde clocked 1min 42.09 on a windy Birds of Prey course, where he won both a downhill and super-G last season.
The 30-year-old then watched Odermatt challenge for the top step of the podium only to come up six-hundredths of a second short in 1:42.15.
Canada's James Crawford, second out of the gate, was third in 1:42.88, claiming just his second World Cup podium place after a runner-up finish in a super-G in Kvitfjell last March.
In addition to the tough conditions, Kilde was fighting flu-like symptoms this weekend.
"It has been a tough week," he said."I caught the flu in Lake Louise after a nice weekend.It hit me really hard.I skied in clothes to have no sweat and take down everything a notch.I felt way better yesterday and that was fantastic.
"I still felt it a bit today but had enough strength for the two minutes I needed."
Saturday's race, which followed cancellation of a scheduled downhill on Friday because of wind and heavy snow, continued the early-season speed duel between Odermatt and Kilde.
Kilde, who won both the downhill and super-G World Cup titles last season, had opened his downhill defense with an impressive victory at Lake Louise last weekend.
Switzerland's Odermatt, the reigning overall World Cup champion, then won the super-G at Lake Louise.
The outcome kept Odermatt atop the overall standings with 340 points to Kilde's 280, while Kilde heads the downhill standings with a maximum 200 points -- 60 more than Odermatt.
The rivalry resumes on Sunday with a super-G to close the weekend at Beaver Creek.
Kilde said Odermatt is the biggest obstacle to another Beaver Creek double this weekend -- but not the only one.
"Marco Odermatt is one thing that may stop me from winning," he said with a laugh."And also there is a lot of contenders at the start and it is never easy to win races."
Odermatt admitted the narrow miss was a little tough to swallow.
"It is a little bit sad when it is just six-hundredths and you know where to find them but, that is ski racing," he said, adding that he was happy with second place given the conditions, which were especially hard on the late starters.
"The conditions were very tough," he said."I think it was not a super-fair race today with the wind on top.For the first guys it was OK, but the later are skiing well and they had no chance.
"That is a little bit sad.But that is our sport," he said.
