SKIING / BOB LOCHNER : Lindh, Street Taking Peek at Early Success

America’s Hilary and Picabo Show will open its European engagement next week after a successful run in Colorado and Canada, where they somehow managed to avoid stepping on each other’s lines.

Hilary Lindh and Picabo Street, opposites who don’t exactly attract, are astounding ski racing’s establishment as they prove, along with Tommy Moe, that the United States is now home to the world’s fastest humans on skis.

Sure, there were those Olympic medals in 1992 and ‘94, but they were flukes, right? How many World Cup races have these three won?

Well, based on 10 days of recent high-speed downhill and super-G sliding, here’s the updated answer:

--After winning the World Cup downhill at Vail, Colo., on Dec. 2, Lindh was second--to Street--at Lake Louise, Canada, Friday, then won there Saturday.

--Street won Friday’s downhill and tied for third in Sunday’s super-G at Lake Louise.

--At Tignes, France, reigning Olympic downhill champion Moe opened his season by placing second to ’92 Olympic downhill gold medalist Patrick Ortlieb of Austria in a super-G Sunday.

“We watch the races on television over here and see Hilary win, and the night before it was Picabo,” Moe told the Associated Press. “It’s definitely an inspiration.”

Lindh, 25, and Street, 23, also seem to be inspiring one another, perhaps unintentionally.

While denying the existence of a feud, the quiet Lindh says: “We push each other, that’s the main thing.”

Street, who gained the Olympic downhill silver medal last February at Lillehammer, Norway, two years after Lindh performed the same feat at Albertville, France, describes their differences this way: “Hilary has a lot more experience and is a lot more patient than I am. I’m more bubbly and (spontaneous).”

Still, she adds: “We’ve overcome the challenge of our personalities.”

Lindh isn’t so sure, telling AP after she finished behind Street Friday: “If Picabo wants to entertain everyone, that’s up to her and that’s her way. It doesn’t happen to be mine. There simply are differences in our personalities and the way we do things. It’s a bit hard to deal with at times, but that’s the way things are.”

Then after becoming the focus of media attention with her victory the following day, Lindh couldn’t help but observe: “Yesterday, I finished second and spoke to virtually no one.”

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With snow still scarce in Europe, it’s hard to say when the next women’s downhill might be held--the race requires a lot of real estate--but a super-G is scheduled next Tuesday at Val d’Isere, France, following a giant slalom Saturday at Sestriere, Italy.

Heidi Zeller-Baehler of Switzerland tops the World Cup women’s overall standings with 445 points, followed by Katja Seizinger of Germany with 329, Lindh with 304, Vreni Schneider of Switzerland with 257 and Street with 225.

After winning Monday night’s slalom on his home slope at Sestriere, Alberto Tomba leads the men’s circuit with 250 points, 101 more than runner-up Michael Von Gruenigen of Switzerland. Moe is 11th with 80.

World Cup organizers hope to stage two men’s downhills and a super-G this weekend at Val d’Isere.

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In California, the snow keeps falling.

Mammoth Mountain picked up another 12 inches of powder early this week, giving it 78 to 96 inches at the main lodge.

“This is the most we’ve had in mid-December since possibly. . . . forever,” spokeswoman Pam Murphy said. “Or at least in the 20 years I’ve been here. In fact, right now, we have more snow than we had at any time last season.”

The current snow-depth champion, however, is Boreal, off Interstate 80 on Donner Summit, where 155 to 165 inches has already piled up. And winter is still a week away.

Southland mountains have received another light dusting, and with the help of cold night temperatures conducive to snow-making, four ski areas--Snow Summit, Bear Mountain, Snow Valley and Mountain High--continue to operate daily on up to 36 inches of packed powder.

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Colorado resorts are gradually getting up to speed for their usual Christmas-New Year’s holiday influx of skiers.

Although reporting only a 34- to 38-inch base, Aspen Mountain is more than 90% open, as is nearby Aspen Highlands, and Snowmass claims at least half of its terrain is skiable. Vail and Beaver Creek have up to 32 inches, with most of their lifts running.

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The 1995 Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts a severe winter, but some weather forecasters believe a developing El Nino will mean reduced snowfalls in the West for the rest of the ski season, which traditionally runs through Easter--April 16 in ’95.

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Mountain High, where there has been skiing on the west side since Nov. 11, is making additional snow on its east side, and owner Terry Tognazzini hopes to have all runs open by Dec. 26.

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Mammoth Mountain, which replaced its old Chairlift 16 with a high-speed detachable quad that considerably shortened one of the previously longest and coldest rides in the Sierra, has also provided another lift for beginners, No. 27, which parallels No. 11.

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Kyle Rasmussen continues to give the U.S. Ski Team some unexpected depth, finishing ninth in Sunday’s super-G, but the recently married AJ Kitt was a disappointing 26th.