Park City's Ted Ligety takes silver medal in slalom at World Juniors

Park City’s Ted Ligety takes silver medal in slalom at World Juniors{mosimage}USSA — Ted Ligety put together two solid runs under the lights Saturday night in Maribor, Slovenia, to earn the World Junior Championships silver medal in slalom behind Swiss racer Raphael Faessler.

It’s the fifth medal won by U.S. skiers at the championships and helped protect their Hodler Trophy team points lead over Italy and Austria.

Ligety moved up to silver when the race jury determined German skier Felix Neureuther had straddled a gate on his second run and disqualified him. Ligety also finished ninth in the combined calculation; Canadian Francois Bourque took the gold medal, his third medal of the championships.

Also for the U.S., Evan Weiss was ninth in the first run but skied out midway through his second run.

“Ted skied within himself on both runs — not taking any unnecessary chances and skiing smart,” said Walt Evans, U.S. national competition director and team leader for the World Juniors. “Great conditions again — cold at night, rock-hard snow — and some very mature skiing by Mr. Ligety. We’re smiling.”