Svindal secures giant slalom title

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LENZERHEIDE, Switzerland -- Aksel Lund Svindal surged to within touching distance of the overall World Cup title on Saturday, winning the final giant slalom of the season to complete a stunning hat-trick of victories in this Swiss resort.

In doing so, the prolific, 24-year-old Norwegian also secured the giant slalom World Cup trophy to go with the super-combined title and the two gold medals he won at the world championships last month in Sweden.

A top-15 place in Sunday's season-ending slalom will see him emulate Norwegian greats Lasse Kjus and Kjetil Andre Aamodt who won three World Cup titles between them in the 1990s.

Svindal's main rival Benjamin Raich of Austria capitulated lamely on Saturday, skiing out of the giant slalom first leg to slip 97 points behind the unstoppable Norwegian and he now must win the slalom to stand any chance.

"I had a lot of emotions in my head in the finish area," Svindal, who was second quickest after the first leg behind Massimiliano Blardone, told reporters. "I was so nervous because I needed to attack but also to not make any big mistakes.

"I'm getting tired because of this heavy schedule but I'll just have to put that out of my mind tomorrow and just try and charge for a top-15 place."

As in Wednesday's downhill and Thursday's super-G, the Norwegian proved an irresistible force, carving down a rutted course for a winning time of two minutes 7.82 seconds. Italy's Blardone was second, 0.21 seconds back, with American Bode Miller showing flashes of his enigmatic best to take an impressive third place.

After winning the super-G on Thursday, Svindal told reporters that the overall title was a long shot as he still trailed slalom expert Raich by three points as a result of the Austrian's unexpectedly good showing in the speed events.

However, he could not have envisaged that Raich, last season's World Cup champion and the Olympic giant slalom gold medallist, would fold in what was billed as a straight title fight between the two most gifted skiers in the world.

Raich was the first man out of the start hut for the first leg and his hopes were shattered when he lost control on the lower section of the course and skied out.

"It happens in ski racing when you're taking risks. I'll just fight on for the overall and focus on the slalom now," he said. "This is the worst-case scenario, although I have to say Aksel has been amazing here."

The normally cool Svindal collapsed on the snow in the finish area in front of a bumper 9,000-strong crowd as the enormity of what he has achieved here sank in.

Before arriving in Lenzerheide he had managed just two victories this season on the World Cup, skiing with consistency rather than producing podium-topping displays.

Now he has five wins for the season and, barring some brilliance from Raich on Sunday or a rare stumble by himself, the Norwegian is odds on to prove that he is the world's best all round skier.

Though slalom is his weakest discipline, Svindal is no slouch in the zig-zagging event, with five career top-10 finishes.

Raich will have an added motivation for Sunday as he trails compatriot Mario Matt by 15 points in the race for the slalom World Cup title.

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