The top three of the World Cup night slalom at Flachau today (Dec. 21) were all within a tenth of a second. In races like these veteran Croate Ivica Kostelic shines and he lit up the snow, the ruts and the lights of Flachau for his second slalom win of the season.

Swede Andre Myhrer had been fifth after the first run but took a risky and wild, charging second run and put pressure on the first run front runners. He wound up second .07 behind Kostelic, the defending Cup slalom champ. Getting third was Italian Cristian DeVille, overjoyed with his second career podium, and second of the season, just .09 behind Kostelic.

Fourth was Felix Neureuther for Germany while the home standing Austrians had to be satisfied with Manfred Pranger (33) in fifth, Mario Matt (32) in ninth and Reinfried Herbst (33) in 11th, a slap in the face for those in the country calling for younger racers to get starts. Marcel Hirscher, (22) was a second run DNF.

Three Canadians and one American scored on the evening, with Julien Cousineau finishing 15th, Trevor White 27th and Brad Spence finishing 28th after hiking. Nolan Kasper finished 26th.

It was snowing, it was foggy and none of it bothered Kostelic. He was elegant particularly high on the course where ruts had build up on the steep opening pitch. He used his full array of skills in taming a course that had stung many racers trying to take a bit too much risk.

“I was so miserable after Alta Badia for losing tenths,” said Kostelic who had been fifth in that race held just two days earlier. “Some times you are up and sometimes down. Today I was up.”

Gepa photo

The SCOOP
by Hank McKee

Men’s World Cup Slalom, Flachau, Austria, Dec. 21, 2011
Equipment
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Kostelic, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
2 Myhrer, Nordica/Nordica/
3 DeVille, Volkl/Fischer/Marker
4 Neureuther, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
5 Pranger, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker
6 Thaler, Nordica/Nordica/Marker
7 Grange, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
8 Byggmark, Voelkl/Tecnica/Marker
9 Matt, Blizzard/Tecnica/Marker
10 Valencic, Elan//Elan

Men’s World Cup Slalom, Flachau, Austria, Dec. 21, 2011. … It is the 12th race of the men’s 45 race 2011-12 World Cup schedule. … The third of 11 scheduled slaloms. … It is a replacement race for the first scheduled slalom at Levi, Finland Nov. 13 and postponed due to a lack of snow. … It is the 18th Cup race held at Flachau and the 10th slalom. … Maria Riesch and Tanja Poutiainen tied in a race at the site on the calendar significant 1/11/11. … It is the fifth men’s slalom at the site. … Mattias Lanzinger serves as forerunner.

It is the 20th career World Cup win for Ivica Kostelic. … his 13th in slalom and his second win of the season, both in slalom. … It is his second win at Flachau having won the slalom March 9, 2002.

It is the ninth career Cup podium result for Andre Myhrer. … all in slalom. … It is his first podium of the season and the second for Sweden this season (Maria Pietilae-Holmner also 2nd in SL at Aspen).

It is the second career Cup podium result for Cristian DeVille and his second on the season having also placed second in Beaver Creek’s slalom Dec. 8. … Italy has won three podium placings in four days.

Julien Cousineau matches his 11th best career result. … It is his second best of two results this season having been 15th at Beaver Creek in slalom. … It is the eighth best of Nolan Kasper’s eight Cup scoring finishes. … Half of his scores have come in Austria. … It is the tenth best of 10 Cup scoring results for Trevor White. … And the 12th of 12 for Brad Spence.

Marcel Hirscher (2nd run DNF) maintains the lead of the World Cup overall standings 425-416 over Aksel Lund Svindal (did not race). … Ted Ligety (did not qualify) is third at 385. … Bode Miller (did not qualify) is seventh with 298pts. … Jan Hudec (did not race) is the top Canadian in 20th with 122pts. … Kostelic regains command of the slalom standings 245-180 over DeVille. … Myhrer moves into third at 170pts. … Kasper holds 12th place with 190pts and Cousineau is top Canadian in 20th with 30pts.