Australian skier AJ Bear has finished in the top 30 in the downhill World Cup in Vail/Beaver Creek Colorado.
The Sydney 25 year old overcame a start position near the rear of the field to finish the 2.6 km Birds of Prey course in 28th place in a time of 1 minute 42.94 seconds, 3.18 seconds behind the race winner, but less than two seconds off a podium place.
The result is his second top 30 and World Cup points-awarding result of the season.
The winner of the Vail downhill was the incredible Austrian Hermann Maier, capturing his first downhill gold medal since the horrific motorcycle crash some two years ago which almost cost him a leg.
The Herminator blitzed the course, recording one minute 39.76 seconds for the journey, nearly a full second ahead of the rest of the field.
In an Austrian sweep of the podium, Hans Knauss was second in 1:40.71 and Andreas Schifferer third.
Maier’s victory took the three- time World Cup overall winner to a familiar place at the top of the 2003/04 Cup standings.
Australian Craig Branch finished in 45th place in 1 minute 43.29 seconds.
The Australian duo will compete in the Beaver Creek super G tomorrow morning AEST.
In a women’s downhill in Lake Louise Jenny Owens finished in 51st place, just over three seconds behind race winner Carole Montillet of France.

Courtesy Sportcom/ www.owia.org