Winter Olympics: Twin gold for best friends in skiing

Maria Riesch joined best friend Lindsay Vonn as an alpine gold medallist at the Vancouver Olympics yesterday, winning the super-combined race on Whistler mountain.

The German skier, who had been second to Vonn after the downhill portion of the two-run race, won gold in a combined time of 2m 9.14s - a day after the American won the downhill despite a bruised right shin.

"I was really nervous, that was the problem for the downhill," Riesch said. "Today I was much more calm, more confident."

Julia Mancuso, who earned the silver on Thursday in the downhill, was again second on the podium in the super-combi and Anja Paerson of Sweden took bronze. Vonn missed a gate and then lost a ski in the slalom, failing to finish.

"My skiing is feeling really good now, and I have two more events and I hope I can make them just as good," said Mancuso, the defending Olympic champion in the giant slalom.

The course used for the downhill portion of yesterday's race was slightly shortened and the final jump was shaved after a spate of crashes on Thursday.

Tora Berger reached a milestone for Norway, winning the country's 100th Winter Olympic gold medal in the 15km individual biathlon.

Behind Norway is the United States, which has won 83 gold medals.

Berger, who won her first Olympic gold, missed only one target on her last shot for a 1-minute penalty, but had built up such a large lead that it didn't matter.

She finished in 40m 58.2s, beating silver medallist Elena Khrustaleva of Kazakhstan by 20.7s.

"It was really good but the last shooting really hurt because I missed," Berger said.

In the women's 1000m speedskating, Christine Nesbitt of Canada won the host country's third gold medal of the Games.

In the women's super-combined, Vonn was fastest in the downhill, but said after the run that her shin was "killing" her. After starting her slalom leg, she still led Riesch at the first checkpoint, but fell behind by the second - moments before missing the gate and crashing into the snow.

"It hurts so bad," Vonn said. "It's one thing to do the downhill, but the super-combined is really tough on my shin. I tried as hard as I could."

Riesch nearly lost control in her downhill run, getting too much air in a small jump before halfway and veering momentarily off course, but her time of 1m 24.49s was still fast enough to make her the favorite heading into the slalom leg.

After two days of racing, the women have the day off today before the super-G tomorrow.

Vonn will again be the favourite for that event.

- AP