Walchhofer wins classic

Michael Walchhofer won the first downhill classic of the World Cup season Saturday at Val Gardena, Italy, and increased his lead in the discipline standings.

The Austrian star covered the 2.14-mile Saslong course in 1 minute 56.70 seconds. Didier Cuche of Switzerland was 0.18 of a second behind, and Scott Macartney of Crystal Mountain, Wash., was third, 0.56 back.

Val Gardena is one of the five classic downhills on the World Cup circuit. The others are: Val d’Isere, France; Wengen, Switzerland; Kitzbuehel, Austria; and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.

Bode Miller of Bretton Woods, N.H., finished eighth. He was second in Friday’s super-G and on pace for another podium finish until he lost control on the lower section of the course, flailing his arms to keep his balance.

Defending champion Steven Nyman of Provo, Utah, got his skis tangled and fell five seconds into his run.

Walchhofer holds a 218-154 lead over Cuche in the downhill standings.

Cuche took the lead in the overall World Cup standings from Austria’s Benjamin Raich -- who is not a downhill specialist and did not race. Cuche leads, 453-441.

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Olympic slalom champion Anja Paerson won her first downhill in almost two years to move to fourth place on the women’s World Cup win list. The Swedish star completed the Corviglia course at St. Moritz, Switzerland, in 1:39.32 for her first victory this season.

Lindsey Vonn of Vail, Colo., was 0.08 of a second behind despite nearly falling in the final section. It was her second top-three result in three downhill races. Vonn won the season-opening downhill in Lake Louise, Canada.

Maria Riesch of Germany was third, 0.33 behind.

Paerson’s 36th World Cup win moved her into fourth place with Germany’s Katja Seizinger on the all-time list. Austrian Annemarie Moser-Proell leads with 62. Switzerland’s Vreni Schneider is second with 55.

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The day after his wife gave birth to a son, Olympic champion Shani Davis set a course record of 1:09.05 in the 1,000 meters at a World Cup speedskating event in Erfurt, Germany.

Germany’s Anni Friesinger won the 1,000 in 1:15.71 to become the third woman to win 50 World Cup events. Gunda Niemann-Stirnemannof Germany leads with 98 victories and American Bonnie Blair won 66 titles.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Wisconsin Whitewater upsets Mount Union

Justin Beaver and Wisconsin Whitewater finally found a way to beat Mount Union in the NCAA Division III championship game.

Beaver, the Gagliardi Trophy winner as the best player in Division III, rushed for 249 yards and a touchdown to lead the Warhawks to a 31-21 victory in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl at Salem, Va.

The Warhawks won their first national title after losing to Mount Union, 35-28, in the 2005 championship game and 35-16 in the rematch last season.

Wisconsin Whitewater ended Mount Union’s 37-game winning streak, and deprived the Purple Raiders of their 10th national title in the last 15 years.

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Michael Terry scored a touchdown with 22 seconds left and Valdosta State beat Northwest Missouri State, 25-20, at Florence, Ala., for the NCAA Division II championship.

Terry’s one-yard run capped an eight-play, 37-yard drive sparked by Willie Copeland’s four consecutive completions for 27 yards. The Blazers overcame a 14-3 halftime deficit.

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Gabe Le rushed for 116 yards and two third-quarter touchdowns to help Carroll College of Montana beat defending champion Sioux Falls, 17-9, at Savannah, Tenn., for its fifth NAIA title in six years.

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Jimmy Oliver threw three touchdown passes to lead Jackson State to a 42-31 victory over Grambling State in the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game at Birmingham, Ala.

Oliver’s 15-yard touchdown pass to Terrance Jones gave Jackson State the lead for good early in the fourth quarter.

PRO FOOTBALL

Colts to play Raiders without five starters

The Indianapolis Colts will sit five starters today at Oakland, with injuries to defensive end Robert Mathis leaving the team without any of the first-string defensive linemen it had to start training camp.

The Colts decided that Mathis and safety Antoine Bethea would not play against the Raiders, team spokesman Craig Kelley said.

The team had already listed receiver Marvin Harrison (bruised left knee), defensive tackle Raheem Brock (ribs) and right tackle Ryan Diem (knee) as out.

Mathis (sprains to both knees) and Bethea (sprained left knee) were injured during last Sunday’s 44-20 victory in Baltimore. Their absences follow season-ending injuries to defensive end Dwight Freeney and defensive tackle Anthony McFarland.

SOCCER

Manchester City wins to stay perfect at home

Manchester City stretched its perfect home record in the English Premier League to nine games with a 4-2 victory over Bolton.

The win moved City into fourth place because Portsmouth had its 11-match undefeated streak end with a 1-0 loss to Tottenham.

Manchester City has 33 points, four fewer than leader Arsenal. The Gunners play host to third-place Chelsea today.

BASEBALL

Edmonds happy to be close to home

Jim Edmonds is returning to Southern California after eight seasons in St. Louis, eager to prove he’s healthy and still an everyday player. He’ll get that chance starting March 31 when he takes his position in Petco Park’s spacious center field.

The San Diego Padres obtained the 37-year-old Edmonds and $2 million from the Cardinals in exchange for minor league third baseman David Freese.

“I’m kind of shocked but excited because I get to be in Southern California next to my family and play for a contending team in a beautiful ballpark,” Edmonds said during a conference call from his home in Irvine.

SWIMMING

Jovanovic sets world short-course record

Sanja Jovanovic of Croatia set a world record in the women’s 50-meter backstroke at the European short-course championships at Debrecen, Germany, with a time of 26.50 seconds. Hui Li of China held the previous mark of 26.83 seconds, set Dec. 2, 2001, in Shanghai.