Skiing : McKinney Is Lone U.S. Cup Threat

Except for Tamara McKinney, United States skiers continue to be notably scarce in the World Cup results coming out of Europe. The former Squaw Valley resident won a slalom last Saturday at Maribor, Yugoslavia, and is eighth in the women’s overall standings with 75 points. But she’s the only American--man or woman--in the top 15. In fact, U.S. men have yet to score a World Cup point, and it’s unlikely any of them will do so--with the possible exception of downhiller Bill Johnson, who’ll make his next try in two downhills at Kitzbuhel, Austria. Friday, the skiers will make up a race postponed from Val d’Isere, France, in December, then on Saturday will compete in the classic Hahnenkamm downhill, followed by the slalom. Johnson tried his hand at a giant slalom Tuesday in Schladming, Austria, and finished 41st. At that, the Malibu skier wasn’t too far behind the top American, Hansi Standteiner of Squaw Valley, who placed 25th. This weekend’s races will be held on a Streif course that didn’t get its first snowfall until last week and then turned to ice when temperatures dropped. Two skiers, Guido Hinterseer of Austria and Hiroyuki Aihara of Japan, crashed in practice runs Wednesday and were taken by helicopter to the hospital--Hinterseer with assorted cuts, bruises and sprains, and Aihara with possibly serious head injuries. The women competed Wednesday in the first of two downhills at Bad Kleinkircheim, Austria, and the leading American was Lisa Wilcox of Ithaca, N.Y., who finished 26th. Michela Figini of Switzerland won. Another downhill is set for today, with a slalom scheduled Friday. The overall World Cup leaders: Men--1. Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg, 140 points; 2. Pirmin Zurbriggen, Switzerland, 104; 3. Andreas Wenzel, Liechtenstein, 101. Women--1. Marina Kiehl, West Germany, 117; 2. Michela Figini, Switzerland, 105; 3. Elisabeth Kirchler, Austria, 93. Skiing Notes The Hahnenkamm downhill will be on ABC-TV’s “Wide World of Sports” Saturday. . . . GGP Sports will show the women’s slalom from Maribor Saturday at 2 p.m. on Channel 7. . . . The Peugeot Grand Prix men’s pro ski racing circuit will make its second stop this weekend at Sugarloaf, Maine. . . . The Women’s Pro Ski Racing tour will start its $120,000, seven-event swing across the country Saturday and Sunday at Okemo Mountain, Vt. Later events include meets at Snow Summit Feb. 23-24 and Kirkwood March 30-31. . . . The SPRINT Series, the first amateur speed skiing circuit in the world, got under way last weekend at Aspen, Colo., and will move to Breckenridge, Colo., this weekend. Later stops include Kirkwood March 6-9 and Mount Rose, Nev., March 13-16. . . . Steve Mahre, slalom silver medalist in the 1984 Winter Olympics, is on crutches at his Yakima, Wash., home after undergoing surgery for torn cartilage in his left knee. The retired racer suffered the injury just before Christmas at White Pass, Wash., while skiing for fun. . . . Snow depths at Southland ski resorts currently range from 24 to 64 inches, with mainly packed powder on the surface. In the High Sierra, Mammoth Mountain has a midway base of 68 inches. June Mountain, which got six inches of powder Tuesday, has 57 inches.