The U.S. men’s team got off to a slow start in slalom last weekend at the Audi FIS Ski World Cup in Levi, Finland.
Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen finished first, just 0.12 of a second ahead of last year’s winner, Marcel Hirscher of Austria. It was Kristoffersen’s second win on the World Cup circuit. Felix Neureuther of Germany was a distant third, 1.31 seconds behind Hirscher and just 0.01 seconds ahead of Sebastian Foss Solevaag of Norway.
The top U.S. finishers were Ted Ligety in 18th place and David Chodounsky in 26. Chodounsky’s time took a hit when he broke a pole five gates into his second run.
Ligety, the reigning Olympic slalom champion, had a strong second run, but a mistake on the steeps cost him time.
“We haven’t had good training volume in slalom yet this season,” Ligety said after the race. “I feel like I skied better second run, just made mistakes in the wrong spots. It is what it is. I’ll move on to the next one.”
Other U.S. starters — including two Vermonters, Nolan Kasper of Waitsfield and Tim Kelley of Starksboro — didn’t make the flip for a second run. The other U.S. skiers were Will Brandenberg, Will Gregorak and Michael Ankeny.
The next slalom stop is at Val d’Isère in France, Dec. 13-14.
The World Cup tour now swings to North America with a downhill and super G in Lake Louise, Canada, followed by the famed Birds of Prey race week Dec. 5-7 in Beaver Creek, Colo.
Olympic champion Bode Miller had outpatient back surgery on Monday, but aims to return to the World Cup in January.
“The procedure will alleviate the pain and discomfort I have been fighting in my back since World Cup finals last year,” Miller said. News reports said he had a herniated disk.
“Our expectation is that I will be able to train and race in January and be ready for World Championships here at home in February,” Miller said.
His key races in January would include downhills in Wengen, where he has won in the past, and Kitzbuhel, where he was third last season.
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