Bode Miller is one victory from tying Phil Mahre's United States record for World Cup wins. Miller, 30, earned his first World Cup gold since breaking away from the US Ski Team with a blazing run of 2 minutes 57 seconds in Saturday's downhill event in Bormio, Italy. The victory is Miller's 26th World Cup win.
Austria's Andreas Buder was second and Canada's Jan Hudec third.
"It's a miracle, really," the Franconia, N.H., native said. "If you want to make it down you've got to take it easy on some of the curves. I just tried to hold on at the end. I was out of gas."
Miller parted ways with the US Ski Team after clashing over rules. His head coach, hired from the US Team, is John McBride. Miller also brought in Forest Carey, who skied with him at Maine's Carrabassett Valley Academy, and his uncle, Mike Kenney.
"I tend to do better on the really tough courses. I focus more," said Miller, a three-time Olympian. Miller is third in points behind Austrian Benjamin Raich and Didier Cuche of Switzerland.
The next men's race is in Adelboden, Switzerland, Saturday with a giant slalom, followed by a slalom event Sunday.
Crossing into history
Leif Zimmermann and Caitlin Compton earned their second national titles at the USZimmermann, an Olympian from Bozeman, Mont., got off to a tepid start in the 10K skate before picking up steam in the second lap to win the gold in 24:39.3. Kris Freeman of Andover, N.H., finished second (24:45.9) and Garrott Kuzzy third.
Zimmermann won the 2004 US sprint championship in Rumford, Maine.
"I was a little slow to get going," Zimmermann said. "I felt a little sluggish and it took me some time to get fired up, but I got things rolling on the second lap. I really hammered that lap."
Compton, a member of the US biathlon team, came from the back of the field to take the women's 5K skate in 13:47.1. Liz Stephen of East Montpelier, Vt., was second with Taz Mannix third.
The championships continue today with the men's 15-kilometer and women's 10-kilometer classic.
The individual freestyle sprint is Saturday and things wrap up Sunday with the classic team sprints.
Welcome a board
Now only three major resorts have a snowboard ban. After more than 50 years of being a skier's-only mountain, northern New Mexico's Taos Ski Valley will open to snowboarders March 19.The move comes as the resort discovered they were losing repeat customers because many families have at least one snowboarder.
"We were now turning away people who were already our guests," said Adriana Blake, granddaughter of Ernie and Rhoda Blake, who founded Taos in 1955.
Blake, the area's marketing manager, said the decision was made in July to allow snowboarders at the mountain. By opening to riders in March, Blake said it will give the area time to iron out any kinks and also uphold what she feels is a contract with season-pass holders who purchased a pass expecting a skier's-only area. Taos is known for its steep terrain. Though there is a terrain park, Blake said it was secondary.
"This will definitely change how the park is set up," she said.
The Taos season runs until April 6. Vermont's Mad River Glen, and both Deer Valley and Alta in Utah do not allow snowboarding.
Winter jackpot
On the heels of an upbeat holiday vacation week, 2008 got off to a snowy start with a New Year's day storm. From a few inches to a foot or so fell across sections of northern and central New England, blanketing ski areas.December's storms dropped more than 6 feet of snow at both Sunday River and Sugarloaf in Maine.
"We picked up 74 inches of snow in December," said Sunday River's Alex Kaufman. "Whatever the weather is for the rest of the year it doesn't matter because we have such a deep base that's not going anywhere until April."
In Vermont, Killington tallied 92.5 inches of snow for December, with almost a foot falling on the last day of the year.
Forecasters are predicting deep cold before moderating temperatures for the weekend.
Century club?
A dubious snow sports record that would have been unthinkable a decade ago is now creeping within reach: The $100 lift ticket.In December, the price for an adult single-day ticket at both Vail and Beaver Creek in Colorado peaked at $92, tops in North America. Nearby Aspen was next at $87.
Here in New England, the top five highest-priced tickets are all in Vermont: Stowe ($84), Killington ($79), Stratton ($78), Okemo ($74), and Sugarbush ($73). The prices are based on rates published on each mountain's website.
Next closest in New England, tied at $72, are Mount Snow in Vermont, plus Maine's Sunday River and Sugarloaf. Rounding out the region's top 10 are New Hampshire's Loon and Bretton Woods, both $69.
Most of the prices are for peak holiday periods or Saturdays. But some mountains have switched to "everyday" pricing that covers mid-December through February.
Free opportunity
Adults and kids who want to learn to cross-country ski or snowshoe can take advantage of free lessons, rentals and clinics at 20 different Nordic trail locations throughout New England Jan. 12.Now in its 13th year, the Winter Trails Day program includes 100 participating sites in North America.
The most extensive demos and learning programs occur at designated "anchor sites," and New England has two: in Massachusetts for both snowshoeing and cross-country, and Catamount Outdoor Family Center in Vermont for snowshoeing.
The size and scope of the other 18 regional introductory programs varies depending on location, and a detailed listing of what's offered is available at wintertrails.org.
The website also includes practical information about how to dress and how to select and buy equipment if users want to further their knowledge of snowshoeing and free-heel skiing.
Clever contest
Cranmore's got a new trail that isn't on the map, and hasn't been named yet. On the backside of the North Conway, N.H., mountain off both the Koessler and Artist Falls Trails, the intermediate run is a connector to the top of the South Slope. It eliminates the need to ski or ride the green circle flats back to the lifts. "We were doing some logging off the back of the Gibson Trail and the offshoot of that was this new cutover trail," said Cranmore's Kathy Bennett. Cranmore will hold a seasonlong contest to name the trail . . . Waterville Valley is kicking off the new year with a few deals for Alpine skiers, riders, and the cross-country set. Starting today, there is two-for-one Nordic trail passes on non-holiday Thursdays. Lift tickets are two-for-one on non-holiday Mondays and Fridays beginning tomorrow. Also tomorrow, Waterville dusts off the Wheel of Deals, where a spin of the wheel can lead to $5 lift tickets and free stuff like lunch or a lesson on non-holiday Mondays and Fridays . . . The first rail jam of the season starts tomorrow night at Jiminy Peak in Hancock. Registration begins at 5 p.m. in Crane Lodge West for the contest being held in Alex's Park at the base of the Grand Slam Trail . . . Dress up like Elvis Saturday at Shawnee Peak in Bridgton, Maine, and get a free lift ticket voucher good for another day this season. The Maine mountain is hosting a day dedicated to the late, great King and includes a group photo at 4 p.m.Campaign trails
Though no one saw him on skis or a board, Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani took a run through ski country last Sunday with a visit to Bretton Woods. Speaking to a small gathering in the Mount Washington Hotel, Giuliani gave a short stump speech, shook hands, then moved on before he had a chance to sample the deep-winter snow conditions . . . A month after forerunning one of the most challenging men's downhill courses in the world - Colorado's Birds of Prey - 22-year-old Resi Stiegler was injured in the first leg of a giant slalom race in Lienz, Austria. Stiegler, daughter of Austrian slalom champion Joseph Stiegler (1964), tore ligaments in her right knee and will be off the World Cup tour for at least eight weeks . . . One of the area's premier snowboard series events - Main Event Series Opener - drops in at Crotched Mountain Sunday. Sponsored by Burton, the series is open to amateur and professional riders. Winners go on to compete at regional events, with the final at Waterville Valley later in the winter. Entry fee is $25.Globe correspondents Tony Chamberlain and T.D. Thornton contributed to this report; material from AP was used.
