Norwegian skier Haugan leads Swiss racers Meillard, Odermatt in first run of GS at world champs

By Canadian Press on February 14, 2025.

SAALBACH-HINTERGLEMM, Austria (AP) — Norwegian skier Timon Haugan posted the fastest time in the opening run of the men’s giant slalom at the Alpine world championships on Friday.

Haugan edged out Loic Meillard of Switzerland by two-hundredths of a second.

Defending champion Marco Odermatt was 0.24 seconds behind in third. The Swiss standout is also the reigning Olympic and World Cup champion in GS and leads the World Cup discipline standings.

The Swiss men’s team aims for its fourth gold medal from four events.

Meillard paired with Franjo von Allmen to win the team combined event Wednesday, three days after Von Allmen took the downhill. Last week, Odermatt triumphed in the super-G.

Haugan’s teammate Alexander Steen Olsen stood fourth and had 0.45 seconds to make up in the second run later Friday.

No other racers came within six-tenths of the lead.

Standings were provisional as lower-ranked skiers were still racing.

Haugan won GS silver at the 2017 junior world championships and has one World Cup podium in the discipline.

Haugan’s strongest event is the slalom, where he has three wins, including one at last year’s World Cup finals on the course used at the worlds.

Slipper crews had been working through the night to get fresh snow off the course, and snowfall during the race caused flat light.

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AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

The Associated Press