In the season's last giant slalom, Stefan Kaltschütz from Austria was the one to finally claim the win today — his first this year.
"It is great to conclude with a win," the 2000 GS World Cup champion said. "Everything worked fine for me today and I hope they will add more GS races again next year since I really need to think about what to do next — focus on slalom or retire and find a job..."
Stephen Copp from Sweden, last year's winner here was in the lead after the first run and most bet he'd win it again. He was the last of the top-15 men to compete and was five hundredths of a second ahead of Kaltschütz at the intermediate time, but it was all Kaltschütz in the end. Copp wasn't bitter though. "I always enjoy being here," Copp said. "It is always a nice atmosphere and I really like the slope. Shame that we did not use the lower pitch we had last year — that was the section where I made it up for the win."
Copp's teammate Daniel Biveson, and Nicolas Huet from France, tied for 3rd place. Analyzing his performance after the race, Huet said, "Third place is a very good result and I am happy I made it there. My runs were just awful and that's what I don't like. I always prefer steeper hills and this was a bit flat, but if you have a look at my times, you learn about my problem. I was third after the first run but was in 13th position at the split time only so I lost the race in the first section. I need to get used to the flat, and combine gliding, being aggressive and calm on the board all at a time - I am just lacking the combination of all those..."
Italian Walter Feichter, who was wearing the yellow World Cup leader bib from the first race, finished 5th today and claimed the giant slalom World Cup ahead of Kaltschütz and Canada's Jasey Jay Anderson, who was in 18th position today.
"That is magic," Feichter said. "I was using the brakes a bit too much and then just let it go, but it worked alright so I am really happy that I made it. Hopefully there will be more GS races again in the future but I also like the parallel competitions..."
His teammate Marion Posch took the win for the women today. Despite finding herself in seventh after the first run, she finally claimed her first GS win of the season after posting a very impressive time. "I was very surprised to beat all the others," Posch said. "Coming from behind I just wanted to make it up to sixth or fifth place, but I never expected this to happen!"
Nathalie Desmares from France was ranked 4th after the first run, but in the end claimed 2nd place, her best FIS World Cup result so far. "It was too bad to hang around at the start and wait to do the second run," Desmares said, "and there was nothing I could keep myself busy with so I am glad I finally worked it out.."
US rider Sondra van Ert, who won the GS at Schönried last year, was in the lead after the first run but ultimately dropped back to 3rd.
Olympic GS gold medallist Karine Ruby from France, in 3rd after the first run, did not manage a solid second run, and fell. Despite the fact that she ended up 11th, she claimed the giant slalom World Cup lead ahead of Posch and Van Ert. "It was terrible," Ruby said, "when I got to the finish I thought I lost the World Cup. It is just great to be back and get one of these globes after some time." She might have to wait for the trophy because those will only be awarded at the World Cup finals in Ruka, Finland, in March.
The season's third parallel slalom will be held on the "Horneggli" tomorrow and according to Johny Wyssmüller, the conditions should be fine for that as well.
— Britta Semmler, MountainZone.com Correspondent
