WENGEN, Switzerland (AP) – Even hiring a helicopter to find a place for extra practice isn’t working out for Bode Miller these days.

Looking to gain an edge for a busy race weekend ahead, the reigning World Cup champion invested in a chopper ride early Thursday to find a slope with similar conditions to the slalom course at Wengen.

The best-laid plans didn’t work out Friday – Miller lost control during the slalom run of a super-combined event and finished 32nd.

Miller was sixth after the downhill. The 31-year-old New Hampshire skier recovered from a big mistake on his slalom run to lead by 0.21 seconds at the halfway mark. But his right ski slid out after a left gate and he lost too much time recovering his line. He did not speak with reporters at the finish area.

Miller, the reigning World Cup champion, is winless in 18 events this season. He’s 12th in the overall standings.

Carlo Janka of Switzerland won his second World Cup event of the season, finishing in a combined 2 minutes, 34.16 seconds. The 22-year-old Janka still regards Miller as the one to beat on Saturday in the signature Lauberhorn downhill.

Miller’s strength and technical ability are proven on the 2.8-mile downhill course, the longest and most demanding on the circuit where racers reach up to 90 mph. Miller has won here the past two years.

“You can never count him out,” Janka said of Miller. “He is one of the favorites. He just needs to cross the finish line.”

Peter Fill of Italy was second and Silvan Zurbriggen of Switzerland was third on Friday

Overall leader Benjamin Raich of Austria (593 points) was seventh and extended his advantage over Jean-Baptiste Grange (536). Grange, the super-combi winner at Wengen last year, finished ninth. Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway is third overall (502) after finishing eighth.

Andrew Weibrecht of Lake Placid, N.Y. placed 28th, and Kevin Francis of Bend, Ore., was 35th.

Janka had a runner-up finish in the season-opening downhill at Lake Louise, Canada. Last month, he won a giant slalom at Val D’Isere, France.

“My second place in Lake Louise started something,” he said. “I started skiing well in all disciplines. I just hope I can keep it going.” Janka rose to fifth in the overall standings with 466 points, despite not competing in slalom events.

Miller has 305 points with half the season over. He is capable of picking up points in every discipline – starting Saturday on the grueling Lauberhorn hill.

At the public draw for starting positions held Friday night, Miller was reminded by the Swiss master of ceremonies of his success here.

“That was a long time ago,” Miller said.

AP-ES-01-16-09 1440EST