Saalbach (Austria) (AFP) - Austrian Mirjam Puchner hit speeds of 140km/h to top the women’s second downhill training at the World Ski Championships in Saalbach on Wednesday.

American Ryan Cochran-Siegle headed the men’s first training run, leading home a host of race favourites including Swiss racer Marco Odermatt, defending super-G champion James Crawford of Canada and the Austrian duo of Vincent Kriechmayr and Stefan Babinsky.

Puchner clocked 1min 42.30sec down the Ulli Maier course as racers honed their technique and equipment ahead of Thursday’s women’s super-G, the first individual medal event of the world championships that run until February 16.

“I did very well today, I was able to build up a good feeling yesterday,” Puchner said of finishing sixth in the first training run.

“I really like this downhill. My performances so far this season were not what I wanted them to be. I didn’t just want to survive the training runs, I wanted to show what I can do.”

American Breezy Johnson was second, while teammate Lindsey Vonn was more than 3sec off the pace after a moderate descent in brilliant sunshine.

There was no drama on the piste, with super-G favourites Lara Gut-Behrami of Switzerland and the Italian trio of Sofia Goggia, Federica Brignone and Nicol Delago all safely negotiating the course.

Austria’s Stephanie Venier, sixth at 1.26sec, admitted that there was “a lot of pressure” on the host country’s women’s team to bag a medal.

“We’re racing in Austria!” Venier said. “We’re at the world championships, it’s only about 1-2-3.

“It’s something special for me and all of us to have the world champs at home in front of the home crowd.”

- ‘Anybody’s game’ -

The men’s training saw Kriechmayr and Babinsky finish second and third behind Cochran-Siegle, with Odermatt in fifth, at 1.05sec, just behind in-form teammate Stefan Rogentin.

Crawford was further down the field, 28th at 2.54sec, but insisted he felt under no more pressure than normal as defending super-G champion after his shock win in Courchevel two years ago.

“When it comes to each race, you have got to figure out how well you’re skiing and what’s realistic, and I think if I’m skiing my best, I definitely can compete for the top spot,” Crawford said.

“I’m just trying to build through the week. Figuring out what needs to be done is the most important.”

Crawford touched down in Saalbach fresh from a maiden World Cup victory in the prestigious Kitzbuehel downhill last month, stressing that he was going to “just keep it simple”.

“It’s a big event, but it’s like any other race. You just have to come out and build through the week and find my fastest skiing on race day.”

And he would not be drawn on who might be favourite, with reigning world downhill and giant slalom champion Odermatt tipped by many pundits as the skier to beat.

“When any of the top guys have a chance at any venue, so long as the skiing is good and you make the right choices and analyse it properly day to day, it’s anybody’s game.”