Austrians finished in the first five spots in Friday's final training run for Saturday's season-opening World Cup men's downhill event at Lake Louise, Alta.

Andreas Buder posted the fastest time of the day, conquering the 3.1-kilometre track in one minute, 51.56 seconds.

Andreas Buder of Austria had the fastest time in Friday's training run in Lake Louise, Alta.
(Jeff Haynes/AFP/Getty Images)

Hans Grugger was second in 1:51.65, ahead of countrymen Mario Schreiber in 1:51.89, defending champion Fritz Strobl in 1:52.13 and Christoph Gruber in 1:52.50.

Despite the impressive showing, Buder wasn't selected by Austrian coaches to race Saturday because he finished 22nd in Thursday's training session.

"I am the fastest visitor," Buder said. "I will be watching here in the finish area. I hope it's not too cold."

American Steve Nyman, who posted the fastest training run Thursday, finished eighth in 1:52.96.

Erik Guay of Mont-Tremblant, Que., was the top Canadian in 18th.

Guay won a silver medal in the Lake Louise downhill in 2003. He is also the only Canadian to win a men's downhill medal in 10 World Cup races at Lake Louise.

"A lot of the times people say how easy Lake Louise is and I don't find that's the case at all," Guay said. "It gets bumpy, it gets icy and it gets fast. 

"It's going to be an interesting race."

Other Canadians were: John Kucera (21st in 1:53.32); Jeffrey Frisch (31st in 1:54.13); and Francois Bourque and Manuel Osborne-Paradis (tied for 37th in 1:54.28).

The super-G race goes on Sunday.

With files from Canadian Press