LENZERHEIDE, Switzerland – Ted Ligety is the giant slalom champion after heavy wet snow overnight forced officials to cancel the final GS race of the season. It was the third giant slalom title in four years for Ligety.

Ligety won three World Cup giant slaloms this season and was leading the discipline by 77 points after a solid third place finish in Kranjska Gora last weekend. Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal finished second and Richard Cyprien of France took the third spot, just three points back of Svindal.

“It is kind of weird losing two full GS races (this season) but I am pretty happy about it,” Ligety said. “Any time you get a title it is obviously a good year!”

Lenzerheide has been plagued with exceptionally warm, wet weather which cost the resort both men’s and ladies super G races yesterday. The loss of today’s GS bookended the loss of the first men’s race of the season, the giant slalom scheduled at Soelden, Austria Oct. 24.

“It is a good thing they cancelled it based on bad conditions,” Ligety added. “You hate to win or lose a title based on fluky race conditions.”

For Ligety this season was more satisfying than his win last year. “This year I did it in the fashion that I am definitely more proud of and this season having won the World Championships was huge,” he continued. “It was a good feeling being able to win under that kind of pressure.”

Ligety started the season on fire, capturing the first three GS races in Beaver Creek, Val d’Isere, and Alta Badia.

“All three of those wins were special in their unique way,” he said. “I think Alta Badia was maybe the coolest because that is a GS hill I have always wanted to win on. It is one of the classics.”

But he also said the win at Beaver Creek was special because he had always wanted to win “at home,” in the U.S. where more family and friends could travel to witness it.

“Val d’Isere was cool because it was a dominating win. To win by more than a second, that helped cement my confidence.”

Ligety was informed of his title by a wake-up text message from head coach Sasha Rearick after the coach was notified the race would be canceled. Ligety tried to go back to sleep, but was led downstairs and was drinking a US traditional champagne toast at 7am.

“Having looked at the weather the day before I was anticipating a canceled race a little bit,” Ligety said. “It was a nice way to wake up.”

He is the first American to win three World Cup GS titles, topping the record set by Phil Mahre (’82 and ’83). He said he wasn’t ready to start comparing himself to past U.S. stars. “I feel I’ve got a lot more years in me,” he said. “I don’t think I can start analyzing my place in history.”