(Reuters) – Italian Dominik Paris won a World Cup downhill in Garmisch-Partenkirchen on Friday to hit top form in time for his home Alpine skiing world championships in Cortina d’Ampezzo next week.
It was the 31-year-old’s first victory since he came back from tearing his cruciate in January 2020 in Kitzbuehel, and also his 15th in World Cup downhill and 19th in all disciplines.
Paris had not won a World Cup race since a downhill in Bormio in December 2019.
The reigning super-G world champion clocked a time of one minute 33.81 seconds to beat Beat Feuz by 0.37 and deny the Swiss a downhill hat-trick after two wins in Kitzbuehel. Austrian Matthias Mayer was third.
“Winning again really means so much for me,” said Paris.
“Now I can say I’m back, I’ve found the feeling, the confidence. Winning ahead of Cortina is perfect. When you’re skiing fast and well, you’re in control and can be even faster.”
Paris has one more race before the championships start on Monday, a super-G in Garmisch on Saturday.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Toby Davis)
