Alpine skiing-Kernen fastest after disqualifications

Updated: January 31, 2005, 1:32 PM ET

(Recasts after disqualifications)

By Mark Ledsom

BORMIO, Italy, Jan 31 - Switzerland's Bruno Kernen was credited as the fastest racer in Monday's first men's downhill training session at the world championships following the disqualification of several leading skiers.

New super-G world champion Bode Miller of the United States was among those disqualified, along with Austrian rivals Fritz Strobl, Christoph Gruber, Johann Grugger and Werner Franz -- all for wearing illegal racing suits.

Strobl had originally set the fastest time of the day, 0.70 seconds ahead of Kernen, with Miller third, a further 0.26 seconds behind.

Monday's disqualifications will not have any effect on Saturday's race nor on the other training sessions scheduled for this week.

Bormio race secretary Herbert Klammer told Reuters that the race jury had not provided any further details on the precise reasons for the disqualifications.

Miller has in the past chosen to run early downhill training sessions in giant slalom suits, which provide the athletes with more warmth and greater protection when they hit gates.

Some of the Austrians may have been saving their approved downhill suits for Tuesday's second training session which the team are using to decide who starts Saturday's race.

Former double world and Olympic champion Hermann Maier is one of four Austrians chasing the three remaining starting places. Strobl, Gruber and Franz are the other three.

Defending world champion Michael Walchhofer and Grugger, a winner of two World Cup downhills this season, are the only two Austrians already assured of a spot.

In the re-adjusted training results, Sweden's Patrik Jaerbyn had the second fastest time, 0.28 seconds behind Kernen. Italy's Kristian Ghedina was third fastest, a further two hundredths of a second back.

This story is from ESPN.com's automated news wire. Wire index

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