COURCHEVEL, France (Reuters) – Italy’s Christof Innerhofer led a depleted field in the second men’s downhill training at the Alpine skiing world championships on Friday with Canada’s new super-G gold medallist James Crawford second fastest.
The 38-year-old 2014 Olympic silver medallist, and 2011 super-G world champion, clocked a time of one minute 48.45 seconds down Courchevel’s L’Eclipse piste with Crawford 0.31 slower.
Switzerland’s Alexis Monney was third fastest, 0.34 off Innerhofer’s time.
Reigning world champion Vincent Kriechmayr of Austria was one of several who decided to take a day out ahead of Sunday’s race.
Other non-starters included Norway’s super-G silver medallist and downhill favourite Aleksander Aamodt Kilde and Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt.
Kilde was fastest in Wednesday’s first training, with Innerhofer second.
Italy’s Dominik Paris, recovering from his big fall in Thursday’s super-G, was back in action and fifth fastest with compatriot Florian Schieder sixth in Friday’s training.
A third session is scheduled for Saturday.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Christian Radnedge)
