Two separate downhill races were due to take place today and tomorrow.

However, due to predicted poor conditions, the first speed events of the World Cup season were held within a few hours of each other.

Austria’s Loesch put on an impressive display on home snow in the women’s sitting event, triumphing over Germany’s Paralympic champion Anna Schaffelhuber who finished second to her rival in both races.

The Netherlands’ Linda van Impelen claimed the final podium place in the first downhill while the United States’ Laurie Stephens was third in the second.

New Zealand’s world champion Corey Peters enjoyed victory on his season debut in the men’s sitting.

American Andrew Kurka was second and Canada’s Kurt Oatway third.

However, in the second race, it was Kurka who claimed the win as Peters failed to finish his run.

Oatway moved up to second place and Austria’s Roman Rabl was third.

In the men’s visually impaired, Canada’s Marcoux was the victor in both events.

The 19 year-old, who will aim to defend his World Championship title in Tarvisio from January 22, was in emphatic form alongside guide Jack Leitch.

Slovakia’s Paralympic silver medallist Miroslav Haraus, guided by Maros Hudik, was second in both races.

American Kevin Burton, a former Nordic skier, claimed his first two speed podiums with guide Chris Tatsuno in third.

Great Britain's 17-year-old Knight showed her promise by pushing Slovakia’s Paralympic champion Henrieta Farkasova and guide Natalia Subrtova into second twice in the women’s visually impaired.

Knight, guided by Brett Wild, has already secured wins in technical World Cups this season and was the runner-up in the final downhill rankings last season.

Belgium’s Eleonor Sana, and guide Chloe Sana, secured a pair of third place finishes.

Salcher was the second athlete to deliver two wins for Austria as he prepares to try and reclaim his men’s standing world title, which he lost in 2015.

But Swiss youngster Robin Cuche, the nephew of skiing legend Didier Cuche, skied to his first World Cup speed podiums with two second place finishes as Austria’s Thomas Grochar finished third in both races.

Germany’s World Championships silver medallist Andrea Rothfuss successfully took on The Netherlands’ Anna Jochemsen in the first women’s standing race, pushing her into second.

The USA’s Stephanie Jallen was third.

In the second race, Canada’s Alana Ramsay secured her first World Cup downhill win while Jochemsen was second, this time edging Rothfuss into third.

Due to the schedule changes, the Innerkrems World Cup will now continue on Saturday (January 14) with two super-G races.

Competition will then conclude on Sunday (January 15) with the super combined event.