Linus Strasser grew to become the primary German skier in 34 years to win two males’s World Cup slaloms in a row by triumphing at an evening race Wednesday in Schladming, Austria, three days after he gained the slalom of the traditional Hahnenkamm occasion 140 kilometres west in Kitzbuehel.
Racing within the rain in entrance of twenty-two,500 spectators, Strasser held his first-run lead as he beat Timon Haugan of Norway by 0.28 seconds in a mixed one minute 45.20 seconds.
Olympic champion and final yr’s winner Clement Noel of France was 1.02 behind in third (1:46.22).
“Two very good races for me. Already felt fairly good in snowboarding earlier than Kitzbuehel, so I took all of the momentum to Schladming. And, yeah, tremendous glad,” Strasser mentioned.
“For me, snowboarding in the intervening time, I preserve it quite simple. That is one key for the success.”
The final skier from Germany who gained back-to-back slaloms was Armin Bittner. The second of his two wins in January 1990 additionally occurred in Schladming.
Strasser two years in the past additionally gained the annual evening race, held on the venue of the 2013 world championships, for his third profession victory however did not win one other occasion till final weekend.
‘Numerous calmness in my snowboarding’
Toronto’s Justin Alkier was prime Canadian however did not advance to the second run. He was 52nd of 54 finishers within the opener, whereas Calgary’s Erik Learn and Asher Jordan of North Vancouver, B.C., did not end.
Strasser positioned himself for Wednesday’s win by taking a lead within the opening run. One of many first 4 starters who had their runs earlier than rain set in, Strasser was 0.10 seconds sooner than Haugan, after which prolonged his lead within the ultimate run.
“It was a really, superb first run. Numerous calmness in my snowboarding,” Strasser mentioned.
Manuel Feller trailed Strasser by 1.14 in fifth place. The Austrian remained within the lead of the self-discipline standings after successful three of the earlier 5 slaloms this season.
World champion Henrik Kristoffersen was 1-A hundredth of a second behind Feller in sixth.
Feller’s teammate Fabio Gstrein posted the quickest time within the second run and the Austrian improved from twenty sixth to tenth place.
Gentle temperatures and the rain made circumstances on the Planai course vastly totally different from the rock-solid and icy floor at Tuesday’s big slalom. That race was gained by Swiss star Marco Odermatt, who doesn’t compete in slaloms.
Wednesday’s race was briefly interrupted after 30 starters within the opening run when local weather activists entered the course behind the end line and sprinkled powder on the snow in a protest similar to the one at a slalom in Gurgl in November final yr.
The lads’s World Cup travels to Germany for 2 super-G races in Garmisch-Partenkirchen this weekend.
WATCH | Strasser realizes dream of successful World Cup slalom in Kitzbuehel:
After a World Cup win in Kitzbühel, Germany’s Linus Strasser continued his successful methods, claiming Wednesday’s slalom win in Schladming, Austria.