Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 PEOPLE & ARTS
Monday 5 March 2018
Hirscher wins slalom to lock up record 7th overall title

KRANJSKA GORA, Slove-
nia (AP) — Marcel Hirscher
capped his stellar season
by securing an unprec-
edented seventh overall
World Cup title on Sunday.
Dominating the penulti-
mate slalom of the sea-
son, the two-time Olympic
champion from Austria
stretched his lead over his
only remaining rival, Henrik
Kristoffersen, to 289 points.
The Norwegian, a specialist
in technical races, cannot
overtake Hirscher because
he will only compete in two
more events this season.
"This is so surreal, I can't be-
lieve it," said Hirscher, who
also locked up the slalom
and GS titles this weekend,
two weeks before the sea-
son-ending races in Swe-
den. "Now I am going for
one week vacation to Are,"
he quipped. "That is always
really nice because the Austria's Marcel Hirscher speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Sunday,
stress has gone away." March 4, 2018.
Building on a big first-leg Associated Press
lead of 0.82-seconds over
Kristoffersen, Hirscher did overall titles. No other male while straddling a gate on in the opening run. and made no mistakes so I
not hold back in his final run skier has won more than his first training day on snow "I don't know, to be hon- had to bring something ex-
and extended the margin five, and fellow Austrian in August. est," Hirscher said when tra all the time."
to 1.22 seconds, a country Annemarie Moser-Proell "The summer really wasn't asked about his next goals. Kristoffersen, who per-
mile in the sport. Ramon won six times on the wom- easy. It went from a pos- "I am happy to go home formed a deep bow to
Zenhaeusern of Switzerland en's circuit in the 1970s. sible end of career to my now and enjoy this. I have Hirscher at the prize giving
was 1.61 behind in third, Sunday's victory also gave best season," Hirscher said to make up my mind where ceremony after Sunday's
while Olympic champion Hirscher this year's slalom after Sunday's win, his 12th my journey goes next." race, called the Austrian
Andre Myhrer, who was title with a race to spare, a of the World Cup season Hirscher said the ongoing ri- "the best ski racer in the
third after the opening run, day after he also locked up and 57th overall. valry with Kristoffersen, who world."
dropped to 24th. the season-long title in the Last month in Py- beat the Austrian for the "So it's OK for me to be sec-
Shortly after finishing and giant slalom. eongchang, Hirscher slalom title two years ago, ond. At the moment he is
with his skis still clipped on, "With all the problems be- crowned his illustrious ca- has enabled him to further just better, so it's OK when
Hirscher fell on his back and fore the season started, reer by adding the only raise his level. he wins the slalom globe,
celebrated the victory. with the broken ankle, it prize he was missing — "Hats off, the future belongs the GS globe, the overall
"Incredible. You can't be- is... I can't find the right Olympic gold. He won the to this young man," Hirscher globe," Kristoffersen said.
lieve it's possible," he said words. It is very surreal," said combined event and the said about the 23-year-old The men's World Cup con-
after becoming the first ski- Hirscher, who missed all of giant slalom, but came up Norwegian. "He has made it tinues with a downhill and a
er in the 51-year history of his pre-season preparation short as clear favorite in the really tough. He performed, super-G in Kvitfjell, Norway,
the World Cup to win seven after fracturing his ankle slalom, where he went out performed, performed, next weekend.q

France plays to 1-1 draw with the U.S in the SheBelieves Cup

By The Associated Press U.S. women's hockey team lineup following the opener who had ankle surgery. a former defender who
Eugenie Le Sommer scored was honored before the against Germany. She rest- Both were starters on the played for the national
just before halftime and match in Harrison, New Jer- ed veteran Carli Lloyd as 2015 World Cup-winning team from 1993-2005.
France finished with a 1-1 sey. well as Julie Ertz, paving the team.U.S. defender Casey Both teams are preparing
draw against the U.S. wom- The United States, the top- way for Andi Sullivan and Short injured her ankle late for next year's World Cup
en's national team on Sun- ranked team in the world, Morgan Brian to start. in the game and left the in France. Les Bleues have
day in the SheBelieves Cup was coming off a 1-0 vic- Lloyd came in as a sub in field on a stretcher. already qualified for the
at Red Bull Arena. tory over Germany in the the 72nd minute. She needs France, coming off a rough tournament as hosts, while
Mallory Pugh had put the tournament opener in Co- just two goals to reach 100 outing against England in the defending champion
United States in front in lumbus, Ohio, on Thursday. for her career. its opener, started veteran United States will attempt
the 35th minute with her France, ranked sixth, won The Americans were with- Sarah Bouhaddi in goal. It to qualify this fall. Second-
ninth international goal. the SheBelieves Cup last out several key players for was her 128th appearance ranked Germany and third-
Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher year, but dropped the the tournament, including for the national team. ranked England were set to
made a pair of big saves opening match against veteran defender Becky It was clear from the start meet in the late game on
with France pressing late in England 4-1. Sauerbrunn, who is recov- on Sunday that the team Sunday. The tournament
the game. U.S. coach Jill Ellis made a ering from a foot injury, and had regrouped under new concludes on Wednesday
The gold medal-winning few changes in the starting midfielder Tobin Heath, coach Corinne Diacre, night in Orlando, Florida.q