MERIBEL, France (AP) — Overall World Cup leader Tina Maze of Slovenia is on course for her eighth win of the season after posting the fastest time in the downhill section of a super-combined race on Sunday.
Maze only needs a podium finish after the slalom later Sunday to equal the single-season record of 18 podiums, jointly held by Pernilla Wiberg of Sweden and Hanni Wenzel of Liechtenstein.
Maze clocked 1 minute, 15.28 seconds on a shortened downhill after heavy overnight snowfall, putting her 0.41 seconds ahead of American skier Julia Mancuso — who is not a slalom specialist — and 0.60 clear of Maria Hoefl-Riesch of Germany, who recently beat Maze to win the super-combi at the world championships.
World championship super-combi bronze medalist Nicole Hosp is well poised in sixth spot.
