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Monday 2 March 2020 SPORTS
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France's Alexis Pinturault competes during the super-G portion
of an alpine ski, men's World Cup combined, in Hinterstoder,
Austria, Sunday, March 1, 2020.
Associated Press
Pinturault dominates

Alpine combined race,

wins season title

In this Sept. 13, 2019, file photo, Shaun White competes during the Skate Park World Championship
HINTERSTODER, Austria (AP) tria, who won a regular in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
— Alexis Pinturault domi- super-G here Saturday, fin- Associated Press
nated the last men's World ished 3.23 seconds behind
Cup Alpine combined outside the top 10. Snowbound: White says he'll
race of the season on Sun- Pinturault won two of three
day to win his fourth career combined races this sea- skip skateboard, stick to snow
discipline title in style. son and finished on 280
The Frenchman positioned points, followed by Kilde on
himself for the triumph by 172. By EDDIE PELLS with it and I can't whole- to Brazil last summer to
finishing second in a short- It was the 28th career win AP National Writer heartedly choose this path compete at skateboard-
ened super-G portion in for Pinturault and ninth in VAIL, Colo. (AP) — If the with what I've got going on ing world championships,
the morning of a cloudy a combined race, leav- world sees Shaun White at snow." where he finished 13th.
day in Upper Austria. ing him one short of the an Olympics again, it will White, who for years was He thought about it for
He overcame a tricky mo- best mark in the discipline be in 2022, not later this every bit as successful a a while and realized the
ment halfway down his run shared by Marc Girardelli year. The three-time snow- skateboarder as a snow- work he'd have to put in to
as a gate broke when he of Luxembourg, Phil Mahre boarding champion told boarder, had been dan- compete against full-time
passed it, but he managed of the United States and The Associated Press that gling the possibility of skateboarders for an Olym-
to push it away before it Pirmin Zurbriggen of Swit- he is taking skateboarding joining the rare group of pic spot would compro-
could get under his skis. zerland. off his plate and won't try to athletes to compete in mise his chances of return-
The incident didn't slow him Pinturault was on the po- qualify for that sport's Olym- both Winter and Summer ing to the Winter Games in
and Pinturault posted the dium in nine of his last 10 pic debut later this year in Games. Beijing for a shot at a fourth
fastest time to win the race combined races, including Tokyo. He has long excelled in gold medal.
by 0.99 seconds from Mau- seven wins. "The decision became less vert contests, which most "It doesn't mean I'm com-
ro Caviezel of Switzerland, Pinturault is also one of the about going for skate and resemble a snowboard mitted to going to China,
who had led by 0.23 after three remaining contend- more about, am I willing halfpipe competition, but but it doesn't feel too far-
the super-G run. ers for the overall title. He to walk away from snow?" is not part of the Olympic fetched for me," said the
Norwegian skiers Alek- closed the gap to leader White said this weekend program. He was trying to 33-year-old White. "I still feel
sander Aamodt Kilde and Kilde to 34 points, with Kil- while attending the Burton make the switch to park, great and that's where it
Kjetil Jansrud were third de's Norwegian teammate U.S. Open. "It just was go- which combine halfpipes got left for me. I'm dipping
and fourth, respectively. Henrik Kristoffersen 101 ing in that direction, and and quarterpipes with stairs back into snow, and doing
Vincent Kriechmayr of Aus- points back in third.q I didn't feel comfortable and rails. White headed what feels right."q
pro sports leagues

Continued from Page 18 Commissioner Bill Daly said the league "will implement
by email the NHL has not all necessary safety mea-
The new virus that first considered any cancel- sures as required." Teams
emerged in China in De- lations. "We are in regular have been getting infor-
cember has infected more communication with our mation from the league
than 85,000 people and clubs on the issue and have about COVID-19 since late
caused more than 2,900 passed along best prac- January.
deaths. There have been tices being recommended MLB has also been actively
62 reported cases in the by CDC and Public Health monitoring the outbreak
U.S., compared to 1,128 in Canada medical experts," for some time and been in
Italy. Daly said. "Most of these touch with the CDC and
The NHL, which has seven steps are common sense Health and Human Servic-
Fans watch the Chicago Cubs play the Milwaukee Brewers teams based in Canada, is precautions, but there def- es. It is providing guidance
during a spring training baseball game Saturday, Feb. 29, in contact with personnel initely involves conscious- to clubs, staff members
2020, in Mesa, Ariz. from the CDC and Public ness raising." and players that are mirror
Associated Press
Health Canada. Deputy An NHL spokesman added CDC recommendations.q