Downhill Event Goes to Rahlves

American Daron Rahlves added to his finest season by winning the downhill at the World Cup finals on Wednesday at Sestriere, Italy, while Bode Miller failed to score any points in his bid for the overall title.

Rahlves charged down the 2.04-mile course in 1 minute 51.88 seconds, securing second place in the final downhill standings. He beat Fritz Strobl by a tenth of a second. Stephan Eberharter was third in 1:52.01, and Miller finished 22nd in 1:54.12.

“I’m super-stoked. I’m really liking this hill,” Rahlves said. “This is the way I want to end my season.

“My goal was to win the downhill title, but I had a good all-around season. It gives me a huge lift for next season.”

Eberharter was the only contender for the overall title to score points, moving into second place behind Hermann Maier. Miller failed to add to his 1,098 points.

Maier leads with 1,165 points, and Eberharter is next with 1,143.

Renate Goetschl won the women’s downhill title for her first World Cup trophy since shredding her left knee and breaking her leg in a crash in the spring of 2002. It was Goetschl’s sixth victory of the season and moved her to within 73 points of leader Anja Paerson in the overall standings.

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Norway’s Bjorn Einar Romoren won his second consecutive World Cup ski jump event. Romoren jumped 127.5 and 126.5 meters at Kuopio, Finland, for 259.7 points and finished ahead of teammate Roar Ljokelsoy and Germany’s Alexander Herr.

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Steve Omischl of Canada and Olympic and world champion Alisa Camplin of Australia won the final World Cup aerial events of the year at Sauze d’Oulx, Italy.

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Pro Football

The Detroit Lions signed receiver Tai Streets to a one-year contract.

Streets, an unrestricted free agent, will be reunited with Steve Mariucci, who coached him in San Francisco.

In five seasons with the 49ers, the former Michigan standout had 168 receptions for 2,008 yards and 13 touchdowns.

The Oakland Raiders signed defensive back Ike Charlton to a free-agent contract. Charlton played seven games for the New York Giants last season as a midseason pickup before becoming a free agent.

The New England Patriots re-signed running back Kevin Faulk. Faulk played a key role in the team’s run to the Super Bowl title last season with a career-best 638 yards rushing in 178 carries and 48 receptions for 440 yards.

Middle linebacker Mike Barrow was waived by the New York Giants in a move that will save the team about $3 million on its salary cap. Barrow, 33, was to earn $3.45 million in his fifth season with the Giants. He also was supposed to earn a $1-million roster bonus next week.

Darryl Gardener, who was suspended twice and played little during a disappointing season with the Denver Broncos, settled his dispute with the team over his $5-million signing bonus. Terms were not released.

Free-agent defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban agreed to a contract with the Cleveland Browns.... The Carolina Panthers agreed to terms with cornerback Artrell Hawkins. Hawkins was released by Cincinnati last week.... Punter Toby Gowin was released by the Dallas Cowboys after averaging a career-low 39 yards per punt last season.... The Atlanta Falcons signed Eric Beverly from Detroit to compete with Roberto Garza for the starting left guard spot.... Free-agent linebacker Jeff Gooch signed a contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.... The Cincinnati Bengals released cornerback Jeff Burris.... Tight end Walter Rasby, who played with New Orleans last season, signed with the Washington Redskins.

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Miscellany

Busch series driver Johnny Sauter was fined $10,000 and put on probation for the rest of the season for cursing during a radio interview after the Sam’s Town 300 on Saturday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.