SKIING: AAMODT IS AGELESS WONDER NORWEGIAN BECOMES THE OLDEST ALPINE SKIING CHAMPION.

Byline: Steve Dilbeck Staff Writer

SESTRIERE BORGATA, Italy - For Norway's Kjetil Andre Aamodt, it was a win for the ages. For the U.S. ski team, it was just more disappointment.

Aamodt the ageless, Aamodt the winner. The two just continue to go hand and hand.

Aamodt became the oldest Alpine skiing champion in Olympic history Saturday, not to mention the winningest.

The 34-year-old captured the super-G, defending the title he won at the Salt Lake City Games and giving him a record eight career Olympic medals.

This after returning to ski racing last season following a broken ankle that threatened his career and cost him a World Cup season.

``I feel that there weren't that many sacrifices,'' Aamodt said. ``This sport has given me many opportunities and I'm very grateful.

``I love this sport and watched it from a young age. If you work hard and spend a lot of time on the hill, then good things will happen to you.''

Good things again failed to happen to the struggling U.S. ski team.

With Austrian legend Hermann Maier winning the silver just 0.13 seconds behind Aamodt's finish of 1:30.65, and Switzerland's Ambrosi Hoffman capturing the bronze, the U.S. was left off the podium once again.

Bode Miller failed to medal for the third time in as many races, this time failing to finish his run. He hit a gate hard with his shoulder halfway down the hill and skied off the course.

Miller left afterward without speaking to reporters. The much-heralded Miller has two races remaining, but is only considered a contender in one.

Scott McCartney had the best finish for a U.S. skier at seventh. Daron Rahlves finished ninth and Steve Nyman 39th.

Rahlves is having an outstanding World Cup season that he has said will be his last.

``With days like these, I don't want any more,'' Rahlves said. ``I'm ready to move on.''

Aamodt, however, said he has no plans to head into the sunset with his eighth gold medal and third super-G title.

``I don't have plans for retirement,'' he said. ``It would have been a great day to retire. I said that at Salt Lake City, and here we are. Maybe I'll be battling Hermann (Maier) in 2014.''

Maier missed the 2002 season after crushing his legs in a motorcycle accident. The winner of gold in the super-G and slalom at the 1998 Nagano Olympics, he skipped the combined this week after injuring a knee in the downhill.

``I'm very glad to be back,'' Maier said. ``The second Olympics have been my biggest goal. The medal is even nicer now.''

With three of the five Alpine disciplines completed, the U.S. has only one medal, the surprising gold taken by Ted Ligety in the combined.

Saturday's race finally was run on a sun-drenched course after officials wiped out the opening 17 runs by skiers when snowfall became too heavy for the skiers to see, delaying the official start by four hours.

Steve Dilbeck, [phone]

stephen.dilbeck(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

(color) Norway's Kjetil Andre Aamodt is hoisted into the air by his teammates after winning the gold medal Saturday.

Charles Krupa/Associated Press