Italy's Elena Fanchini, looking for a repeat of her only World Cup victory, braved temperatures as low as minus 21oC to post the fastest time on Friday in the final training session for the season-opening women's downhill.
Fanchini covered the 2.8km course in one minute, 49.00 seconds. Switzerland's Monika Dumermuth was second in 1:49.36 while Austria's Alexandra Meissnitzer was third in 1:49.45.
The downhill was due to be held yesterday followed by a super-giant slalom today.
Fanchini's lone downhill victory came at Lake Louise in 2005.
Based on past performances, Renate Goetschl of Austria and American Lindsey Vonn should be among the favorites heading into the downhill, although neither did well on Friday.
Goetschl, 32, has won five races at Lake Louise, dating back to 1998, and been on the podium 12 times. She was 35th on Friday, more than three seconds behind the leader.
Vonn, 23, earned her first ever World Cup downhill victory at Lake Louise in 2004 and has won two more races since. She missed a gate on Friday and was disqualified.
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