Sports : U.S. Captures First Alpine Gold

Californian Tamara McKinney gave the United States the first gold medal awarded at the World Alpine Ski Championships, recording a respectable third-place finish in the downhill today to win the women’s combined title.

McKinney, who had been second in Sunday’s combined slalom behind Swiss superstar Vreni Schneider, overtook Schneider with a surprisingly competent downhill, which is not her specialty.