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Alpine Edge

Maze finds her way to slalom success

updated 3:32 PM EDT, Sun March 17, 2013
Tina Maze clutches her crystal globe after winning the giant slalom in the final race of the World Cup season.
Tina Maze clutches her crystal globe after winning the giant slalom in the final race of the World Cup season.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Tina Maze won giant slalom in final race of World Cup
  • Slovenian finishes season with 2,414 points
  • Maze, 29, already won super-G and slalom crystal globes
  • Only second skier in history to pass 2,000 point barrier

(CNN) -- Tina Maze rounded off her stellar season Sunday by doing what she does best -- winning.

The 29-year-old overall World Cup champion recorded an unprecedented 24th podium finish of the season by claiming victory in the giant slalom at Lenzerheide, Switerland.

Any disappointment at missing out on the downhill title to Lindsey Vonn was well and truly vanquished as Maze stormed to yet more success.

The Slovenia star, who has already won the super-G and slalom crystal globes, is only the second skier ever to break the 2000 points barrier in the season.

Read: Vonn handed downhill title

Maze on historic win, music career
See skier's downhill (careful at 1:21!)
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Her total of 2,414 points, a record, came after she clocked a time of two minutes 16.67 seconds over the two legs to finish ahead of France's Tessa Worley and home favorite Lara Gut.

"I have even impressed myself. It has been an incredible season, "Maze told reporters.

"If someone had said to me before the start of the season I would achieve all this, I would have said they were mad," said Maze.

"I don't think that this is the fruit of just one year of hard work.

"One obviously requires talent and the need to work hard, but also to have a good team round oneself. Skiing is an individual sport, but there is a team around you to help you."

Read: Skiing's pop queen Maze does it her way

From the 900 points on offer for the Giant Slalom title, Maze collected 800 of them, winning on five occasions as well as finishing second three times and third once.

She told the competition's official website: "It's an incredible record, but I could have scored more points if the last Super G and Downhill weren't canceled.

"I'm impressed by all these achievements. It's been an amazing season for me. My skiing has been so good. I started with a win and finished with another one.

"That's the way to go when you're so strong. I'm so proud of me and my team. I also really would like to thank the fans for their great support."

Read: Weather lays crown at Hirscher's door

In the men's race, Germany's Felix Neureuther claimed victory ahead of Marcel Hirscher and Ivica Kostelic.

"It's very good to go into the summer like that but I know I will need to work pretty hard too," Neureuther told the FIS website.

"Marcel was always the men to beat this season and I hope to do that more often next year. I'm so happy it's over now, my back hurts and I definitely feel like an old man needs some rest."

Austria's Hirscher, who had already secured the small globe for the slalom, claimed his ninth top three finish of the season to equal the all-time men's record for single-season World Cup slalom podiums.

Read: Ski legend Tomba's great regret

Only Ingemar Stenmark of Sweden in 1976/77 and Italy's Alberto Tomba in 1991/92 had previously managed the feat.

"It's amazing, it was quite difficult keeping the pace during the whole season but I am proud that I made nearly no mistakes," he told the competition's official website.

"I am also really happy about the Slalom title on top of the Overall one as it's the first time I won it."

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