Kroell wins super-G

At 28, the former under-21 downhill and super-G world champion had never managed to fulfil his potential at senior level and it finally clicked into place on the Streif course, in a time of one minute and 12.78 seconds.

Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal came second and Swiss Ambrosi Hoffmann third.

Kroell had signalled this season might finally be the right one when he finished second in the Bormio downhill in December and his victory was all the more impressive as he fractured his right hand in a crash in Wengen last week.

"It's incredible but I was very relaxed. I did well in practice, the super-G is not my best event. I didn't expect anything and I was able to ski to perfection in the bottom part," Kroell said.

His victory was also a timely one for Austria as his countrymen had not won in Kitzbuehel for two years while their performances in recent speed events had been poor.

The second best-placed Austrian was Hermann Maier, a five times winner of the Hahnenkamm Super-G, who had to be content with 12th place.

Kroell denied Svindal his first victory on the Streif by 0.22 seconds.

The 2007 World Cup winner Svindal had struggled a little since his sensational comeback wins in Beaver Creek, a year after the crash which ruined his 2008 season.

The Norwegian showed he was on form just in time for the World Championships in Val d'Isere, France next month.

"I had ups and downs in recent weeks but that's what sport is about. To finish second after making so many little mistakes is pretty good," he said.

Veteran Hoffmann's third place brought some relief to his Swiss team after the serious crash suffered by team mate Daniel Albrecht in training on Thursday.

Albrecht was still in an artificial coma in a hospital in Innsbruck when Hoffman, the super-G bronze medallist at the 2006 Turin Olympics, completed his race.

Team chief Martin Rufener said super-combined world champion Albrecht was in a stable condition.

"With these kinds of injuries, you have to be patient and wait for two or three days to see how things evolve," he said.

Swiss team leader Didier Cuche, who finished fourth, said Albrecht had been on his mind during the race: "But you have to be a pro and concentrate on the job. Daniel would want us to fight and do our best."

All the favourites faltered in the last section of the course.

World Cup leader Benjamin Raich was in front, according to intermediate times, when he missed a gate and bowed out. The Austrian still retained his lead in the overall standings on 638 points, with a 40-point lead over Svindal.

Last year's overall World Cup winner Bode Miller, impressive in training, also lost his pace in the bottom part, settling for 21st place.

The American should be more at ease in Saturday's downhill.