Outdoors : SKIING / BOB LOCHNER : Street Is Not Resting on Downhill Laurels

Picabo Street isn’t letting a broken finger on her left hand or a course that’s “really not very fun” dampen her enthusiasm as the World Cup finals get under way today at Bormio, Italy.

With five victories in eight races this season, the 23-year-old skier from Sun Valley, Ida., has already clinched the downhill championship, but said Tuesday, “I would love to end this season with a bang.”

And of course, there’s still her rivalry with teammate Hilary Lindh to keep her pumped. Lindh, 25, of Juneau, Alaska, won two downhills earlier this winter and is doubtless eager to regain some attention.

Street, who suffered her injury during a practice run Monday when she hit a gate, said, “It’s still fairly painful. . . . But I can win for sure if I ski well.”

The main suspense in the finals, which continue through Saturday, concerns the women’s overall title. Vreni Schneider of Switzerland has 1,090 points, 35 more than runner-up Katja Seizinger of Germany. Also within striking distance are Heidi Zeller-Baehler of Switzerland with 990 and Martina Ertl of Germany with 905. Street is fifth with 805.

Alberto Tomba of Italy, who will race twice before his cheering countrymen, is virtually assured of winning his first overall championship. With 1,050 points, he is far ahead of his pursuers--Jure Kosir of Slovenia (700), Marc Girardelli of Luxembourg (670), Gunther Mader of Austria (633) and Kjetil-Andre Aamodt of Norway (602).

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Skiers at Snow Summit will have a chance Sunday to help raise money for the fight against multiple sclerosis if they participate in Jimmie Heuga’s Ski Express.

The event involves teams of three skiers each--including at least one woman--who pay a minimum $1,000 of either their own or sponsors’ money to enter. This contribution counts as 50% of a team’s score. Another 25% is derived from the total vertical feet skied between 9 a.m. and noon, and the final 25% from the results of a dual giant slalom that afternoon.

Winners will earn a trip to Vail, Colo., where they’ll compete against the top teams from 29 other resorts in 19 states.

Heuga, 1964 Olympic slalom bronze medalist, was stricken with MS six years later, and founded the Jimmie Heuga Center at Avon, Colo., in 1984.

Ski Express details: Gary Jaymes at (310) 697-5653 days or (714) 563-9778 nights.

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Trace Worthington, who won the Freestyle World Cup men’s aerials and combined championships last weekend at Salen, Sweden, will headline the field in the Bumps & Jumps this weekend on Heavenly’s Gunbarrel Run.

Worthington, of Park City, Utah, will face 14 other aerialists at 1 p.m. Sunday. The action begins with mogul trials Friday at 10 a.m., when the 16 finalists for Saturday’s 1 p.m. contest will be determined.

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Skiing Notes

On Monday, Heavenly will play host to Stolichnaya’s Bartenders ski race at 10:30 a.m., with part of each entry fee going to Global Releaf, a tree-planting campaign conducted by the environmental group American Forests. . . . Other American Freestyle World Cup series champions as the U.S. team won its 10th Nations Cup were Ellen Breen of West Hills, women’s ballet; Nikki Stone of Westborough, Mass., women’s aerials; Jon Moseley of Tiburon, Calif., men’s overall, and Kriste Porter of Greenland, N.H., women’s overall.