Rahlves holds off teammate Miller in World Cup downhill

Getting ready to settle into the starting gate for a World Cup downhill Friday, Daron Rahlves heard a voice he knows well.

It was teammate and chief on-slope tormentor Bode Miller, yapping about how he planned to “rip this hill apart.”

Not that Rahlves needed much more motivation, but he said hearing those words did the trick. Taking advantage of a course shortened at the top because of a mix of wind, fog and snow, Rahlves posted the day’s fastest time, then watched Miller come up just short, giving the United States a 1-2 downhill finish on the Birds of Prey course at Beaver Creek, Colo., for the second straight year.

Austrians finished third and fourth, with Hans Grugger followed by Fritz Strobl.

•Elena Fanchini of Italy won her first World Cup title, capturing the inaugural women’s downhill of the season in 1 minute, 49.33 seconds at frigid Lake Louise, Alberta.

U.S. skiers finished fourth, fifth and eighth, led by Julia Mancuso at 1:50.00. Defending champion Lindsey Kildow was fifth at 1:50.05. The big breakthrough came from American Stacey Cook, who was eighth at 1:50.49. Her previous World Cup best was 31st, at Lake Louise a year ago.

A second downhill is scheduled today, with a super-G race Sunday.

AUTO RACING

Stewart wins record amount

Tony Stewart’s best year in NASCAR’s Nextel Cup series reached the bottom line, with the two-time champion setting a record for single-season earnings.

He picked up $6,173,633 from the points fund set up by series sponsor Nextel and NASCAR, and added $517,000 in contingency awards from sponsors. Combined with the prize money earned during the 36-race season, Stewart’s total of $13,578,168 breaks the previous mark of $10,979,757 by Jeff Gordon in 2001.

Stewart, who earlier in the day had a migraine headache that caused him to miss a breakfast at which he was to collect several checks from sponsors, was feeling a lot better on stage during the formal awards ceremony at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

The other nine drivers in the second Chase for the championship also were given big checks, along with 11th-place finisher Gordon and rookie of the year Kyle Busch.

SOCCER

Portland makes women’s final

Christine Sinclair beat Penn State goalkeeper Erin McLeod on the final penalty kick, sending Portland to the title game at the NCAA Women’s College Cup at College Station, Texas.

Two of the nation’s top five scoring teams went scoreless for 110 minutes – the 90-minute regulation and two overtimes – before Sinclair beat her teammate from the Canadian national team to give the Pilots a 4-3 win in the penalty-kick shootout.

Portland (23-0-1), playing in its eighth College Cup, will go for its second national title Sunday against UCLA (22-1-2), which got two goals from Christina DiMartino in a 4-0 victory over Florida State. Portland won the championship in 2002.

GOLF

Allen holds on at ‘Q’ school

Michael Allen struggled in the third round of the PGA Tour qualifying tournament at Winter Garden, Fla., although he still managed a 1-under-par 71 and had a three-shot lead halfway through one of the most grueling tournaments of the year.

Allen was at 13-under 203 as the field – reduced to 161 players with three more pulling out – heads to the final three rounds to see who gets their PGA Tour cards next year.

The top 30 and ties earn full-exempt status on tour.

•Ai Miyazato made four birdies in a six-hole stretch and escaped with par on her final hole for a 2-under 70, giving the Japanese star a seven-shot lead with two rounds remaining in the LPGA Tour qualifying tournament at Daytona Beach, Fla.

Morgan Pressel, the 17-year-old who tied for second in the U.S. Women’s Open, struggled to her second straight round of 75 and was tied for 11th at even-par 216, 11 shots behind Miyazato. Suddenly, the more important number to Pressel was the cutoff for getting a card, and she was only two shots clear with two days left. The field will be cut to 70 players after today.

•Angel Cabrera shot an 8-under 64 to set a course record and take a two-stroke lead in the Nedbank Challenge in Sun City, South Africa.

MISCELLANY

House calls BCS hearings

A House Energy and Commerce subcommittee, charged with regulating America’s sports industry, announced it will conduct a “comprehensive review” hearing on the BCS on Wednesday, after this season’s bowl matchups are determined.

•Carolina Kostner of Italy took the lead after the short program at the NHK Trophy figure skating event in Osaka, Japan.