BORMIO, Italy, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- There was a virtual dead heat among the top three finishers in Saturday's men's World Cup downhill race at Bormio, Italy.
Dominik Paris of Italy and Hannes Reichelt of Austria finished in a rare tie for first place with identical times of 1 minute, 58.62 seconds, and Norwegian Aksel Lund Svindal placed third a mere 1/100th of a second slower.
"Tying with Reichelt doesn't make any difference -- I am only happy to be on top," Paris said. "I had a good run in the top and then in the bottom I skied very good and fast."
Klaus Kroell of Austria placed fourth with a 1:58.64, just 1/100th of a tick behind Svindal, who remained the overall World Cup points leader.
Travis Ganong was the top American finisher with a seventh place.
Ganong said the close finish shouldn't be underestimated because of the length of the Bormio course and its always-rigorous conditions.
"You have to be gutsy on this course," he said. "It never lets up. It's bumpy and dark and it's inevitable that you'll have a mistake, but whoever can push through that, will be fast."
