American Marconi Wireless News - Odermatt wins Beaver Creek giant slalom

Odermatt, who won the Birds of Prey downhill on Thursday but settled for fifth in a weather-disrupted super-G on Friday, seized control with the fastest first leg and even after notching just the 25th-quickest second run topped the combined times in 2min 20.59sec.

He was 23-hundredths of a second ahead of Italian Alex Vinatzer, who climbed onto the podium with the third-quickest second run.

Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen was third, 34-hundredths behind.

Odermatt claimed his 49th World Cup victory, but the 28-year-old was delighted to have posted wins in two disciplines in which he'd never before managed to top the podium at Beaver Creek.

"It's actually very special," Odermatt told FIS. "I really wanted the podium or the best would be a victory here today in the giant slalom.

"My best place here was 27th, so I really had to improve that," he said. "It was a tough second run. It got bumpy and I really, really needed my (lead) from the first run.

"The (Beaver Creek) downhill was a big thing on my list and also the giant slalom today was somehow missing from my portfolio. So, yeah, I'm super-happy."

With four wins from six races so far this season, Odermatt tops the overall World Cup standings with 445 points.

His early season success underlined Odermatt's status as a multiple gold medal favorite at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in February.

Austrian Vincent Kriechmayr, who won the super-G on Friday, is second in the overall standings on 227 and Kristoffersen third on 218.

The men's World Cup circuit now returns to Europe, with a giant slalom and slalom scheduled for Val d'Isere on December 13-14.

P.Stevenson--AMWN