LAKE LOUISE, Alberta -- World champion Michael Walchhofer of Austria won the first downhill of the World Cup season Saturday.

He finished in 1 minute, 51.16 seconds. Erik Guay of Canada was next in 1:51.85, followed by Antoine Deneriaz of France in 1:51.90.

Reigning overall World Cup champion Stephan Eberharter and Bode Miller each was more than 1½ minutes off the pace.