By USSA

BEAVER CREEK, Colo. — A record crowd packed the Audi Birds of Prey finish area Friday as Italian Christof Innerhofer took the win in the men’s downhill. Travis Ganong of Squaw Valley led the U.S. Ski Team in 16th.

“I pushed the line, I really charged. I wanted to do something big today,” Ganong said. “But I had some mistakes. I was pretty pumped up. But my skiing’s in a pretty good place and it will get better and better.”

It was the first downhill win for Innerhofer in four years as he upset favorite Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway who was second.

Marco Sullivan of Squaw Valley, who was on the podium in Lake Louise a week ago, was 18th.

Racers from across the world praised the Audi Birds of Prey course crew for building one of the best World Cup tracks in recent memory.