Norwegian skier Kristoffersen leads Swiss star Odermatt in World Cup GS after opening run

KRANJSKA GORA, Slovenia (AP) — Henrik Kristoffersen led the opening run of a men’s World Cup giant slalom ahead of Marco Odermatt on Saturday as the pair looked set to continue their dominance in the Slovenian resort of Kranjska Gora.

The Norwegian and the Swiss skier each won three of the six GS races held on the Podkoren course since 2019.

Kristoffersen, the 2019 world champion, was 0.15 seconds faster than Odermatt as he aims for his first win in the discipline since triumphing here in March 2022.

The Norwegian is third in the season standings, 81 points behind leader Odermatt, the Olympic and three-time World Cup GS champion from Switzerland.

Joan Verdu of Andorra in third had 0.52 to make up in the second run later Saturday, while no other skier finished within eight-tens of Kristoffersen’s lead.

World champion Raphael Haaser was the best-ranked Austrian in eight, in his first race since winning gold on home snow in Saalbach-Hinterglemm two weeks ago.

The Austrian men’s team has not won any of the 33 World Cup races since Manuel Feller won a slalom in February 2024, its worst series since 34 winless events in 1991-92.

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