Canada's Mac Marcoux scores silver in men's visually impaired downhill race

Canadian Mac Marcoux raced to silver in the men's visually impaired downhill event on Saturday at the Beijing Paralympics.

First out of the gates, and led by guide Tristan Rodgers, Marcoux, of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., showed his typical poise, setting a time of one minute 13.81 seconds and answering any lingering questions about his form after missing the world championships in January.

Only Austria's Johannes Aigner was able to edge out the Canadian, winning gold with a time of 1:13.45. France's Hyacinthe Deleplace rounded out the podium with bronze in 1:14.10.

Fellow Canadian Logan Leach, the youngest member of the team at 19, placed ninth in 1:26.28.

Canadian Paralympic rookie Katie Combaluzier crashed out of her opening race.

Combaluzier wasn't the only athlete to stumble on the difficult course at the Yanqing National Alpine Skiing Centre — three others failed to finish in her race, while eight-time Paralympic champion Marie Bochet of France crashed out of the standing event.

Japan's Momoka Muraoka won gold with a time of one minute 29.77 seconds, while Germany's Anna-Lena Forster took silver (1:30.59) and China's Liu Sitong scored bronze (1:32.10).