It wouldn't be the Hahnenkamm without a hint of controversy, which the race jury provided by deciding the first run course set by Ante Kostelic was “unskiable,” and assigned a new course setter, Jacques Theolier, who is as French as his name indicates, but coaches for Italy.
The Italians did control the first run. The second run was owned by Marcel Hirscher.
Hirscher became the first Austrian since Manfred Pranger in 2005 to win the Hahnenkamm slalom at Kitzbuehel, and he did it emphatically.
With Wengen winner Felix Neureuther in the leader's position (and Ante's son Ivica in second) Hirscher attacked the always tricky Ganslern slope at the edge of the Kitzbeuehl village streets. He was, as he has been all season, superb. He took risks all the way down the fan lined track building his .38 of a second first run lead at the start at every interval, taking the lead away by .77. He knew he had done something special and screamed in delight in the finish.
Continue reading 'Hirscher dominates second run to win Kitzbuehel SL'
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