Sport: Trial by Snow

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When the U.S. Olympic team arrived in Kitzbühel, Austria, the men rated scarcely a look. Against Europe's best, assembled to race in the famed Hahnenkamm meet, no one accorded them a chance. But the girls were another matter.

Center of all eyes was an athletic, pony-tailed blonde from New Hampshire named Penny Pitou, 21. Penny was ready, and poised as only a girl can be who had skied against the Europeans on even terms last year. She was quick with a smile for any passing photographer, had acquired a prestigious and hovering boy friend in Austria's Egon Zimmermann (who finished second in the men's downhill). With top-flight Teammate Betsy Snite nursing a knee on the sidelines, Penny warmed up with a respectable tie for fourth in the giant slalom.

Next day she was even better in the hell-bent downhill, daringly shaving her final turn to finish in a time of 1:57.1 that seemed good enough to win. But while chatting confidently with newsmen, Penny learned that it was not that easy: an unknown Austrian 16-year-old named Traudl Hecher had snatched away first place with 1:55.9.

The next day, going for glory, Penny fell during the slalom, finished in 50.1 sec. Fishtailing through gates so effortlessly that her hips scarcely seemed to move, Austria's Hecher flashed home in 48.2 sec. Penny fought back her tears and tackled her second run with female fury, plummeting down the chopped-up course in the remarkable time of 48.3 sec. for a two-turn total of 98.4. When Hecher folded under the pressure and ended with 99 sec., Penny again seemed to stand supreme. Then, adding to American feminine prestige, California's Linda Meyers, 22, startled the crowd by turning in a second run of 49.4 sec., tying Penny for first place.

The U.S. men skiers finished about as expected—the best they could do was a 35th in the giant slalom. It was apparent that at Squaw Valley, U.S. skiing prestige will be in the hands of the girls. They seem strong enough.