Downhill, Women

Nobody had really dominated women’s downhill since the 2002 Winter Olympics, but the two best skiers had been the Austrians Renate Götschl and Michaela Dorfmeister. Götschl was World Cup Champion in 2004 and 2005, while Dorfmeister won that title in 2003 and was leading in 2006, and had also been the 2001 World Champion. Dorfmeister came down 23rd, followed by Götschl, with the leader the Swiss skier Nadia Styger when Dorfmeister left the starthouse. Dorfmeister posted 1:56.49 to move into the lead, and waited for Götschl’s run. But Götschl had several errors and would finish only fourth, as Dorfmeister would win the gold medal. Martina Schild (SUI) won the silver medal, with the bronze going to Sweden’s Anja Pärson. Pärson had already won four gold medals at the World Championships from 2001-2005, but none in the downhill.