Olympic notes

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany - With Bode Miller off the slopes, American Steven Nyman scored a career-best in the downhill on Saturday.

Hermann Maier led an Austrian sweep at the World Cup downhill event, marking his third victory of the season and first in a downhill. Miller, the reigning overall champion, skipped the German races to rest before the Turin Olympics.

Nyman took advantage of an early start to place fourth, only 0.44 seconds behind the illustrious Maier and 0.16 from a third-place medal. Teammate Daron Rahlves, winner of three downhills this season, finished 14th after almost being thrown off the course.

Maier lay down exhausted after covering the 2.15-mile course in 1:57.56 for his 53rd career win. Klaus Kroell finished second in 1:57.83, improving his chances of being selected to the Austrian team for the Olympics. Andreas Buder, vying for the last Austrian spot, finished third in 1:57.84.

WOMEN'S WORLD CUP: In Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, American Julia Mancuso has her ski boots back and seems to be peaking in time for the Olympics.

She finished second in a World Cup downhill, duplicating her finish in Friday's super-G. The races were the final speed events before the Turin Games,.

Mancuso finished a hair-thin 0.05 seconds behind Austrian winner Renate Goetschl. Austrian Elisabeth Goergl was third. Austrian Michaela Dorfmeister finished fourth and clinched the season's downhill title with one race to spare. American Lindsey Kildow finished ninth.

FIGURE SKATING: Katy Taylor got a lot more from her trip to the Four Continents competition in Colorado Springs, Colo., than she expected.

Competing in her first international event as a senior, the 16-year-old won the women's title Saturday. She finished with 164.05 points, enough to overcome Yukari Nakano and her attempt at a triple axel.

Taylor was tabbed as one of the up-and-comers to watch after finishing second to U.S. Olympian Kimmie Meissner for the novice (2003) and junior (2004) titles, and winning the bronze at the 2004 junior world championships.

Nyman