WHISTLER, Canada, Feb 21, 2008 (AFP) - Austria's Christoph Gruber won the men's World Cup super-G here Thursday, ahead of compatriot Hannes Reichelt and Slovenia's Ales Gorza.

Gruber, 31, clocked 1min 26.60sec to finish three-hundredths of a second ahead of Reichelt, with Gorza 11-hundredths back.

American Bode Miller, leader of the overall standings, failed to complete the race.

Reichelt, who lost some time on the lower part of the course, confirmed his rising status in the discipline, following up his victory earlier this season in Beaver Creek, Colorado.

He and Gruber are now tied for second in the discipline behind Switzerland's Didier Cuche.

Gruber said he hoped the victory was an omen for the 2010 Winter Olympics on the same slope.

"I can't wait to get back here in two years," Gruber said. "It's good, especially since this is the only race on this slope before the Olympic Games.

"So, it is a good feeling to win here. Hopefully, I'm here at the Olympic Games in two years."

Gorza, with starting bib No. 2, claimed the first podium finish of his World Cup career.

Racing at Whistler will continue through the weekend, with men and women sharing the spotlight as a means of testing the alpine venue for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

"There's a lot of terrain," Miller said of the course. "It looks good, from what little I saw, but it will all be different in two years."

The men will compete in the sixth giant slalom of the season on Saturday, while the women are scheduled for a downhill on Friday and a super-combined on Sunday.

Austrian Benjamin Raich finished 11th to close within 69 points of Miller in the overall standings.