Switzerland’s Maria Walliser caught an opportune break...

Switzerland’s Maria Walliser caught an opportune break between rising and falling fog to win a women’s World Cup downhill ski event at Badgastein, Austria, and take the lead in the Cup standings.

Walliser, skiing 15th on a Silberkrug course battered by snow, sleet, rain and fog, turned her good fortune into a winning run of 2 minutes 04.04 seconds. Sieglinde Winkler of Austria was second in 2:05.39, and Katrin Gutensohn, also of Austria, was third at 2:06.41.

Top American downhiller Holly Flanders fell in the fog but suffered only a bruised shin.

In the overall Cup standings, Walliser has 117 points to 112 for teammate Erika Hess. In the downhill, Walliser has 72 to 61 for Canadian Laurie Graham.