Norwegians 1-2 in slalom; Miller fails to qualify, but holds on to overall lead

Norwegians 1-2 in slalom; Miller fails to qualify, but holds on to overall leadTruls Ove Karlsen of Norway won the men’s slalom at Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, on Sunday, his first career victory, with teammate Tom Stiansen in second place.

Bode Miller of the U.S. didn’t make it to the second run, but didn’t lose any ground to his chief rivals in the race for the overall title. At the same time, he missed a chance to pad his lead over Hermann Maier, who excels in the speed events. There are now four speed races (two downhills and two super G’s) remaining on the schedule, and just one slalom and one GS.

Miller made a major mistake in his first run and finished outside the top 30. Benjamin Raich of Austria, third in the overall standings entering the race, qualified seventh, but was a DNF in the second run. The other two Austrians pursuing Miller — Maier and Stephan Eberharter — didn’t start the slalom.

Ted Ligety of the U.S., slalom silver medalist at the recent World Junior Championships, scored points in just his fifth World Cup start, all this season. He was the only U.S. skier to make it to the second run, finishing 23rd. It was the first time he’d skied the second run in a World Cup.

Karlsen, who had been on the podium only once before in his career, beat Stiansen by just 0.08 seconds.

Austrians had held the top three places after the first run, but the team had to be content with a third place for former world champion Mario Matt, recently returned from injury.

First-run leader Manfred Pranger straddled a gate as he tried to match the Norwegians’ times in the second run while slalom World Cup leader Rainer Schoenfelder, who was third in the first run, wound up fifth.

Alpine World Cup

Men’s Slalom

Kranjska Gora, Slovenia

February 29, 2004

1. Truls Ove Karlsen (Norway) 1:42.72 (49.82/52.90)

2. Tom Stiansen (Norway) 1:42.80 (50.45/52.35)

3. Mario Matt (Austria) 1:42.99 (49.42/53.57)

4. Akira Sasaki (Japan) 1:43.04 (50.41/52.63)

5. Rainer Schoenfelder (Austria) 1:43.29 (49.74/53.55)

6= Drago Grubelnik (Slovenia) 1:43.35 (51.10/52.25)

6= Kalle Palander (Finland) 1:43.35 (49.78/53.57)

8. Alois Vogl (Germany) 1:43.36 (50.54/52.82)

9. Giorgio Rocca (Italy) 1:43.38 (50.16/53.22)

10. Jure Kosir (Slovenia) 1:43.39 (51.06/52.33)

11. Patrick Thaler (Italy) 1:43.47 (51.19/52.28)

12. Edoardo Zardini (Italy) 1:43.65 (50.60/53.05)

13. Jean-Pierre Vidal (France) 1:43.68 (51.01/52.67)

14. Johan Brolenius (Sweden) 1:43.71 (50.81/52.90)

15. Pierrick Bourgeat (France) 1:43.84 (50.49/53.35)

16. Sebastien Amiez (France) 1:43.85 (50.84/53.01)

17. Markus Larsson (Sweden) 1:43.91 (50.94/52.97)

18. Giancarlo Bergamelli (Italy) 1:43.92 (50.84/53.08)

19. Heinz Schilchegger (Austria) 1:44.04 (50.96/53.08)

20. Martin Marinac (Austria) 1:44.15 (50.19/53.96)

21. Silvan Zurbriggen (Switzerland) 1:44.16 (49.94/54.22)

22. Thomas Grandi (Canada) 1:44.19 (50.97/53.22)

23. Ted Ligety (U.S.) 1:44.82 (51.18/53.64)

24. Kilian Albrecht (Austria) 1:44.86 (50.93/53.93)

25. Alain Baxter (Britain) 1:45.72 (51.34/54.38)

26. Mitja Dragsic (Slovenia) 1:47.37 (50.60/56.77)

DNF 2nd: Neureuther (Germany), Kurt Engl (Austria), Benjamin Raich (Austria), Manfred Pranger (Austria)

Other North Americans:

DNQ 2nd: James Cochran, Jake Zamansky, Bode Miller (U.S.); Michael Janyk, Nick Zoricic (Canada)

DNF 1st: Tom Rothrock, Chip Knight, Jesse Marshall (U.S.); Jean-Philippe Roy (Canada)

THE SCOOP

> by Hank McKee

Equipment, Men’s Slalom

Kranjaka Gora, Slovenia, February 29, 2004

Skier, skis/boots/bindings

1 Karlsen, Fischer/Nordica/Tyrolia

2 Stiansen, Nordica/Nordica /Tyrolia

3 Matt, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

4 Sasaki, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

5 Schoenfelder, Fischer/Nordica/Tyrolia

6 Grubelnik, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol

6 Palander, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic

8 Vogl, Volkl/Lange/Salomon

9 Rocca, Nordica/Nordica/Atomic

10 Kosir, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol

The men have six races remaining of a 38-race schedule: two downhills, two super G’s, one slalom and one GS. … It’s the third win of the season for Fischer skis, each with a different pilot. … It is the first career victory for Truls Ove Karlsen; his previous best had been third in the knock-out slalom of 2002. … His best result otherwise was fifth at Park City in 2002. … His previous best this season was sixth at St. Anton 2/15.

It is the seventh career podium for Tom Stiansen, but his first since 12/10/2001 at Madonna. … The last time Norway had 1-2 finishers was 1/27/02 when Stina Nilsen and Andrine Flemmen went 1-2 in GS at Cortina. … Kjetil Aamodt and Lasse Kjus went 1-2 in Kitzbuehel combined 1/20/02. … It’ the 13th career podium for Mario Matt, all in slalom. … It’s his second podium of the season, and they have come in the last two slaloms.

Akira Sasaki in fourth scores the best result of the season for Japan… He was second in the Wengen slalom 1/19/03.

Thomas Grandi scores for the 13th time this season. … Ted Ligety collects his first World Cup points. … Today’s races (one for men, one for women in Levi, Finland) doubled the number of World Cups held on Leap Day. … Perrine Pelen won a SL at Waterville Valley 2/29/80 and Picabo Street a DH at Narvik 2/29/96. … The last six slaloms at Kranjska Gora have been won by racers of different nationalities.

Bode Miller (1084) maintains the World Cup overall lead over Hermann Maier (1076) (who did not start) and Benjamin Raich (999) (who failed to finish the second run). … Rainer Schoenfelder maintains the slalom lead over Kalle Palander 550-495 with one race remaining. … Miller in fifth at 340 leads the U.S.