European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 16, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Gold Mcd Alist Korrin Lee Gartner of Canada left and runner up Hilary Lindh of Juneau Alaska claim the Best pieces of the Roc de Fer on saturday in Meribel France. It 2 Day of surprises Jansen too slow for medal n. Americans top downhill Albertville France a Dan Jansen did no to fall saturday. But he did no to Fly either. Jansen the hard Luck figure of the 1988 Winter olympics for his family tragedy and Falls skated Only to a fourth place finish in his world record specially a the 300 meters. His chief rival Uwe Jens May of Germany took the Gold ahead of two japanese. A i was Loose and relaxed. I Wasny to nervous. 1 Wasny to thinking about Calgary and 1 Wasny to thinking about falling Jansen said in a relieved this is Over out i can to say in a disappointed. A a in a surprised More than anything. I had a feeling that i was going to come out of this with a Gold or Silver. I really thought it was going to be me or  it was far from a lost Day for North americans in the French Alps. A Canadian and an american pulled a Bill Johnson in the women a downhill. Shocking the european favourites Ker Rin Lee Gartner of Calgary and Hilary Lindh of Juneau Alaska rocketed out of obscurity to win the Gold and Silver medals on a Tough course suited to their go for broke strategies. Lee Gartner a 25-year-old who has never won a world cup race became Canadas first olympic downhill Champion. Lindh a sturdy s-foot-9 who was Only 25th in the world cup downhill standings last year earned americans first Alpine skiing medal in the olympics since it took Home five from Sarajevo in 1984. That was the year Johnson emerged from nowhere to capture the menus downhill a a fading from the scene soon afterwards. A i went out today and i had All or nothing in my mind a either the Gold or last place Quot Lee Gartner said. A it worked out Veronika Wallinger of Austria took the Bronze briefly putting her country Back in a tie for the medals Lead. Meys Victory thrust Germany Back on top with 15, including six golds As the Winter olympics reached the Halfway Point on Day 8. Austria had an unprecedented 14, and the unified team was third with 12. Norway was next with eight and Host France had a near record seven. Jansen 26, appeared ready to give the United states a sixth medal to match its total for 1988. Skating in the second pair on the rain soaked Albertville Oval he briefly held the Lead. But his time of 37.46 seconds More than a second off his world record was eclipsed almost immediately. Mev the world cup Leader defended his olympic title in 37.14 seconds and Toshiyuki Kuroiwa and Yasunori Miyabe of Japan were next in 37.18 and 37.26. Jansen has one More Chance tuesday in the 1,000 meters where hell be a Gold medal contender As he was in 1988. The 22-year-old Lindh pumped her arms and jumped up and Down excitedly on her skis after seeing shed finished .06 seconds in Back of Lee Gartner a winning time of 1 52.55. Quot it did no to feel like that Good a run but it was Good enough. In a really psyched a Lindh said. A i just can to believe it. I always dreamed about this and i can to believe it  it was the first american medal in the women a downhill since Cindy Nelson finished third in 1976, and the first in Alpine skiing since Debbie Armstrong and Christin Cooper finished 1-2 in the women a giant slalom at Sarajevo. The Roc de Fer a Iron Rock course has been called the worlds toughest downhill and criticized As too fast and rough for women a skiers. Conditions were not helped saturday by heavy Snow and fog. But Lindh said the Roc was just what she wanted. A a it a a Good course for me because there a always something going on and i like to be fighting All the Way Down a she said. Known by her teammates As the Strong silent Type Lindh flashed some rare emotion after her run. A i done to think its quite hit yet a she said. A you know in be been thinking about this All week what 1 was going to do How i would react and everything. In be been picturing myself coming Down a but i never really expected  Krista Schmidinger of Lee mass., a Surprise runner up wednesday in the downhill portion of the combined finished 12th. The stars and stripes february 16,1992 c Page 24tough sledding for  see Page 22 also on the inside. Baseball Springs Back this week a Page 18 Holmes May get title shot a Page 18 Winter olympics notebook a Page 22 rockets turn Back celtics a Page 23 German Ace Krabbe draws 4-year ban Page 23