Alpine races complete with gold for Italy

Italy's new Tomba? Razzoli wins slalom gold
Italy’s Guiliano Razzoli has won the men’s slalom, the concluding Alpine ski event of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
Razzoli delighted the Italian squad with the country’s first gold medal of the Games, and the first win for Italy in the slalom since Alberto Tomba took gold in Calgary in 1988. The 25-year-old clocked a combined time of 1:39:32. He squeezed ahead of Croatia’s Ivica Kostelic, who was leading the second run at the time.
Kostelic had to settle for silver, with Andre Myhrer of Sweden taking bronze. There was disappointment for defending champion Benjamin Raich, who eventually finished in fourth – leaving the Austrian team without a medal in the men’s Alpine ski racing.
Alberto Tomba, who was present at the Games, congratulated Razzoli. Razzoli said: ‘I started to ski when he started to win in 1988 in Calgary. Now he’s my friend – and I’m a gold medallist.’
Surprises
The were further surprises in the slalom, when both Bode Miller and Ted Ligety crashed out on the first run. What’s more, only 48 of the 102 racers completed the slalom course – again made difficult by softening snow and the notorious Whistler fog. Britain’s David Ryding and Andrew Noble did finish, though, in 27th and 29th positions.
Ghana got its wish
And Ghana’s ‘Snow Leopard’? A delighted Kwame Nkruma-Acheampong did not come last. He came second from bottom in 47th place, but was thrilled to have completed his first Olympic race and to finish two runs when many others didn’t make it down.
Recent news
-
Choose shorter ski to avoid ACL injury
17 May 2022 If you want to avoid an ACL injury,… -
Illustrator launches ski-themed fabric
3 May 2022 A range of ski-themed fabrics and… -
Tyrol divided over Pitztal and Ötztal link
27 Apr 2022 Thousands of Tyrolean residents… -
Meribel and Courchevel raise €65K for Ukraine
24 Apr 2022 The Alpine communities of Meribel… -
Skiers caught in Courchevel avalanche
19 Apr 2022 A French man skiing with his daughter… -
London ski show returns in October
31 Mar 2022 The much-anticipated London Ski… -
Vail Resorts buys stake in Andermatt
29 Mar 2022 Vail Resorts has bought a majority… -
Historic season for some Vail Resorts
16 Mar 2022 Vail Resorts is extending the ski… -
Kings of Leon to play Ischgl closing concert
14 Mar 2022 Kings of Leon will join a long… -
Ski in Chamonix with the Ikon Pass
3 Mar 2022 Chamonix Mont Blanc in France,…