By USSA

LAKE LOUISE, Canada – The American women stacked three in the top 15 on the second day of downhill in Lake Louise, led by Laurenne Ross (Bend, Ore.) in seventh place. Friday’s top American Stacey Cook (Mammoth Lakes) was 11th and Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, Colo.), in only her second Audi FIS Ski World Cup downhill, was 13th.

Ilka Stuhec of Slovenia wore a red bib marking her as the World Cup leader in downhill after a surprise win on Friday, and showed that the win wasn’t a fluke. She skied to victory again, ahead of Switzerland’s Lara Gut in second and Edit Miklos of Hungary in third.

Ross was happy with her result, pointing out the conditions that hindered racers starting behind her. “There was a lot of sun at the very beginning of the race and I think for every person, the sun was less and less,” said Ross. “But that’s ski racing. I got lucky … I’m happy with the result.”

While Shiffrin still plans to focus on giant slalom and slalom, she was excited to count two solid downhill results under her belt with an 18th place finish in Friday’s race. “I’m sure I’ll do another (downhill) this year,” said Shiffrin. “I love it, so I’ll for sure be back on the downhill circuit, but I have to keep sight of my real goals this season.”

After a great result in Friday’s race, Breezy Johnson (Jackson, Wyo.) again skied into the points, taking 21st. Alice McKennis (New Castle, Colo.) and Jackie Wiles (Aurora, Ore.) also grabbed points, snagging 26th and 30th, respectively. Leanne Smith (North Conway, N.H.) was 34th and Anna Marno (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) did not finish.