SKIING / WORLD CUP AT ASPEN : Moe Seeks Status Quo; Kitt Wants Better Luck

Tommy Moe is looking for a repeat of last weekend. AJ Kitt is looking for a repeat of last season.

The two will carry the U.S. hopes as the World Cup circuit stops in Aspen for a downhill today and a super-giant slalom Sunday at the Subaru Aspen Winternational.

Moe, 23, of Palmer, Alaska, is coming off the best weekend of his racing career at Whistler, Canada, where he finished second in a World Cup downhill and 12th in the super-G.

Kitt has had bad luck since finishing third in the World Cup downhill standings last season. Kitt, 24, of Rochester, N.Y., ranks 19th among world downhillers.

Kitt’s misfortunes began in November when he suffered a sprained foot playing basketball. He somehow recovered in time for the World Cup downhill opener at Val d’Isere, France, and was leading the event until it was canceled because of bad weather.

Then, in a downhill at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Kitt hit a bump and took a spill into the safety netting.

Last weekend at Whistler, Kitt was effectively eliminated when his boot loosened during his run.

Kitt made a strong showing in training runs at Aspen this week, finishing third on Thursday.

The man to beat in the race, though, appears to be defending champion Daniel Mahrer of Switzerland, who won two of the three training sessions.

He finished a misleading third in Friday’s run behind Norwegians Kjetil Andre Aamodt and Atle Skaardal, intentionally standing up at the end to slow his final time.

World Cup Notes

This weekend’s races will be televised on ESPN on tape delay, 1 p.m. PST for Saturday’s downhill and 1:30 p.m. Sunday for the super-G. . . . AJ Kitt finished sixth in Friday’s training run. Tommy Moe tied for 12th. . . . Luxembourg’s Marc Girardelli, the World Cup’s overall points leader, finished eighth in his final training run.