Kristoffersen bags world slalom title with a race to spare

Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen secured the men’s World Cup slalom title with a race to spare when he finished second behind Austria’s Marcel Hirscher in Kranjska Gora yesterday.
Hirscher, who is on his way to a fifth straight overall title, posted 1 minute 46.24 seconds for the two runs, 0.81 seconds ahead of 21-year-old Kristoffersen, with Stefano Gross of Italy third.
Kristoffersen’s title is his first crystal globe and ends a run of three slalom titles by Hirscher.
“It’s incredible. That was at the limit today but really cool,” said Kristoffersen, who has won six slaloms this season and twice finished second.
“Winning the title a race before the finale is a little bit Hirscher-style. It’s a dream come true.”
Hirscher, who Saturday clinched the giant slalom title,  has 1,635 points in the overall World Cup standings, 353 points ahead of technical specialist Kristoffersen, but effectively can’t be caught with only a giant slalom and slalom remaining of the last six races.
The World Cup moves next weekend to Kvitfjell, Norway for downhill and super-g races. The slalom race in St Moritz, Switzerland on March 20 will end the World Cup season.
On Saturday, Norway’s Heidi Weng and Russian Sergei Ustiugov won their cross-country races on the fourth leg of the eight-stage Ski Tour Canada in Quebec, their respective leads at the event.
In the women’s 10-kilometre race, Weng edged out fellow Norwegian Therese Johaug by a tenth of a second in a dramatic sprint to the finish, ending with a time of 24 minutes 18.8 seconds.
Weng now leads Johaug by 5.1 seconds after four of eight stages at the event.
Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen, also a Norwegian, took third place Saturday, the same position she holds so far in the event.
In the men’s 15-kilometre race, Ustiugov defeated 13-time world champion Norwegian Petter Northug by 17.7 seconds, finishing with a time of 34 minutes 31.8 seconds.
After four stages, Ustiugov leads Northug by 22.7 seconds. Norwegian Emil Iversen took third place in Saturday’s stage, and holds third place overall at the event.
Earlier Saturday Germany’s Eric Frenzel won the Nordic combined World Cup individual event in Schonach following a protest by the German team.
Norway’s Magnus Krog had crossed the line first but was disqualified after the race jury ruled he had cut across Frenzel on the last turn before the finish.
Frenzel, already assured of the overall World Cup title, secured a personal-best eighth victory of the season and gave Germany a first win in Schonach for 29 years.
Frenzel posted 23 minutes 32.8 seconds after the ski jumping and 10-kilometre cross-country, 15.4 seconds ahead of Jan Schmid of Norway, with Japan’s Akito Watabe 22.3 seconds back in third place.
It was the second day of controversy in Schonach after a German protest was rejected Friday following victory by Norway in the team event.
Joergen Graabak had anchored Team Norway to victory after Germany’s Fabian Riessle crashed in a sprint finish and claimed he had been obstructed by the Norwegian.
Gusting winds meanwhile forced organisers to cancel the ski-jumping World Cup event on the large hill in Wisla, Poland.
The International Ski Federation said the event would not be moved to another venue. The World Cup moves next weekend to Titisee-Neustadt, Germany with two individual events.