With neither injured Lindsey Vonn nor Mikaela Shiffrin starting a World Cup downhill on Friday, Emma Aicher seized her chance to cut the American superstars leads in the season-long standings.Aicher, the Olympic downhill silver medalist, placed second just 0.01 behind first-time winner Laura Pirovano, pushing Olympic champion Breezy Johnson down to third and reduced Vonns lead in the downhill points race to just 14 with two races left. Vonns hugely successful World Cup season at age 41 was ended by a nasty crash one month ago at the Milan Cortina Olympics that wrecked her left leg.Aichers 80 World Cup points Friday also reduced Shiffrins lead in the overall standings to 139 ahead of another downhill scheduled Saturday.The tightening race for the giant crystal globe trophy with eight races left could see Shiffrin make a rare start in a super-G Sunday. Chasing a sixth career World Cup overall title. Shiffrin has so far accrued all her points in slalom and giant slalom.Fridays race was a replacement for the downhill five weeks ago at Swiss resort Crans-Montana, abandoned after Vonn crashed and tore the ACL in her left knee.Pirovano was a popular winner on home snow getting a first win, also a first podium finish, in her 125th World Cup start.The 28-year-old Italian has been a model of consistency reeling off top-10 results this season and sixth place in the Olympic downhill at nearby Cortina dAmpezzo.Its unbelievable what happened," Pirovano said. "The confidence was there, I knew I was skiing well. Today it seems is the day.An elusive first victory lifted her to third in the downhill standings, trailing 64 behind Vonn and 50 back of Aicher. I dont want to think about it too much. What will be, will be, Pirovano said. The final downhill is March 21 at the World Cup finals week meeting in Norway.Pirovano was among the few racers to top 130 kph (81 mph) on a sunny, still and freezing day that was ideal for the marquee speed discipline.Two former Olympic champions dropped out of contention after losing time on the bottom half of the 2.3-kilometer (1 2/5-mile) course.Corinne Suter, the 2022 Olympics gold medalist, looked set to match her win last weekend at Soldeu, Andorra, but placed eighth, 0.49 behind Pirovano.Sofia Goggia, the 2018 champion and bronze medalist at Cortina last month, was 0.90 back in 17th. ___AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

King Charles has been invited to the 150th anniversary Test cricket match between Australia and England.The monarch has been offered the chance to see the game next year, announced by Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg.The Ashes rivals will compete in a one-time match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to commemorate the anniversary of the first Test held in 1877.Charles's mother, Queen Elizabeth II, attended the fifth day of the centenary Test in 1977.TRENDINGStoriesVideosYour SayMr Greenberg told Australia's Channel 7: "We want to make it an occasion that celebrates the combat between England and Australia but more broadly celebrates Test cricket and the beauty of Test cricket."Scheduled to be played from March 11, the match has been under scrutiny over its being held as a day-night affair.Mr Greenberg said: "I want to make sure we have a long Test match. It will be 12 months of me talking to them about the state of the wicket."England is planning a warm-up match ahead of the anniversary Test after losing to Australia 4-1 in the Ashes this winter.LATEST DEVELOPMENTSQueen Elizabeth II's private rooms to be publicly opened for the first timeJames Middleton pictured at Crufts as dog lover meets visitors and furry friendsPrince William's 2,500-home development set to be approved despite backlashThey will journey to Australia after their two-Test tour of Bangladesh in February.The news follows His Majesty giving his approval for The King's Medal for Music to be awarded to pianist Kathryn Stott for 2024 and composer Sir James MacMillan for 2025.Both recipients were announced simultaneously following the recent formation of a new music committee under the Master of the King's Music.Errollyn Wallen, who chairs the nominating committee, praised the pair as "truly outstanding and deserving winners celebrated not only for their remarkable musical achievements, but also for the inspiring energy and dedication they bring to nurturing musical talent within their communities".The prestigious honour recognises musicians who have significantly shaped Britain's musical landscape, with Ms Stott and Sir James joining an illustrious roster of previous recipients including Dame Sarah Connolly, Nicola Benedetti and Sir Bryn Terfel.Ms Stott enjoyed a remarkable 46-year professional career spanning from 1978 to 2024, establishing herself as one of Britain's most versatile and imaginative musicians.Her artistic collaborations have drawn particular acclaim, most notably her partnership with celebrated cellist Yo-Yo Ma.The Lancashire-born pianist currently serves as Professor of Piano at the Royal Northern College of Music, where King Charles is Patron, having previously held teaching positions at both the Royal Academy of Music and the Norwegian Academy of Music.She also supports emerging talent through her roles as Patron of Young Sounds UK and Trustee of The Countess of Munster Musical Trust.Responding to the honour, Ms Stott said: "I am deeply honoured to have been awarded The King's Gold Medal for Music and hope this will give inspiration to many young musicians who aspire to a life of creativity.""To have a life nourished by music is a wonderful gift. "I am enormously grateful for this recognition not only of my artistic life as a pianist, but also my work with young musicians."Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter

A drone attack on Azerbaijan has narrowed choices for airlines scrambling to respond to disruption in the Gulf.

Ragnar Ache, Lukas Frenkert, Sofie Zdebel, Emil Holten und Florent Muslija sind fr das Tor des Monats Februar nominiert. Alle Tore im Video.[mehr]

LEXINGTON, KY - Following the organization's first winning season since 2018 and a remarkable turnaround that saw the club win 22 more games in 2025 t... - AtL Lexington Legends

Lentraneur dAl-Nassr Jorge Jesus a annonc vendredi que la blessure de Cristiano Ronaldo la cuisse droite est plus srieuse que prvu et que sa star doit retourner Madrid pour consulter son kinsithrapeute personnel. CR7, 41 ans, devrait tre absent au moins un mois et pourrait manquer les deux matchs de prparation la Coupe du monde avec le Portugal fin mars.

La France peut dj tre sacre vainqueur du Tournoi aprs 4 journes, condition (et pas seulement) de ganer en cosse. Mais le capitaine des Bleus Antoine Dupont prvient ses coquipiers.

Dylan Edwards moves easily past the Broncos defence with one big step.

Streetwear continues to dominate the global fashion scene, blending comfort, individuality, and cultural influence into everyday clothing. Among the most talked-about pieces in modern streetwear is the Essentials Hoodie. Known for its minimalist design, premium feel, and effortless versatility, the Essentials Hoodie has quickly become a must-have item for anyone who   essentialshoodie...

The specialty paper market is a rapidly growing segment within the global paper and packaging industry, driven by increasing demand for customized, high-performance paper products across multiple sectors. Specialty paper refers to paper grades that are manufactured for specific applications and possess unique properties such as strength, durability, water resistance, thermal resistance, barrier...