Where to Ski And Snowboard - Grange takes Levi slalom title

Grange takes Levi slalom title

15th November 2010, by Chris Gill

Levi, Finland

Jean-Baptiste Grange of France has won the men’s World Cup slalom race in Finland, after missing all of last season due to injury.

Grange put in a storming performance at the weekend to seal the race, which had witnessed over 30 athletes default on the tricky course.

Grange finished the two runs with a total time of 1:46:63, a fraction ahead of Sweden’s Andre Myhrer (1:46:97) and Croatia’s Ivica Kostelic (1:47:61). ‘Today was pretty much a perfect day for me,’ the Frenchman said after winning the race. ‘In the second run I was able to remain focused and to go for it you know, just thinking about my skiing, just thinking of how I can find my best rhythm.’

It was a good comeback for the French racer, who had to sit out all last winter’s competitions with an injury. What’s more, the course proved somewhat challenging for many of the top racers, who slid out in the first round. Defending champion Reinfried Herbst failed to finish, as did Bode Miller and Benjamin Raich. Of the 80 starters, 31 did not complete the event.

The Levi black was in good condition, prepared with a firm natural and artificial base. Cold temperatures helped to keep it in good shape too. But the grippy snow was said to catch out some of the racers still getting used to their equipment for the season. It’s early days and, as the men’s GS racing was cancelled at Sölden due to poor weather, Levi was the first race of the season for many of them.

The ladies race took place on Friday 12 November, won by Marlies Schild of Austria; she put in a storming performance on the second run to beat Olympic champion maria Reisch.

Levi is already open for recreational skiing. Racing weekend usually attracts over 20,000 visitors; the locals claiming that bookings have been up this year.