Haugen gets bronze in the World Championships giant slalom

ST. MORITZ,SWITZERLAND. Leif Kristian Haugen. Photo.Photo: Cornelius Poppe / NTB scanpix

Leif Kristian Haugen impressed with a bronze medal at the World Championships giant slalom in St. Moritz, Switzerland. Marcel Hirscher of Austria won as expected.

– Leif is on the podium !  Leif is on the podium! Ah, that was fun! He gets a career best in St. Moritz, said Andreas Toft and Marius Arnesen  from the NRK commentator box.

Haugen not only got his first World Championships medal, but even achieved his career best.  Hirscher was 0.25 seconds ahead of fellow countryman Roland Leitinger.- with Haugen an additional 0.46 seconds behind.

Norwegian Henrik Kristoffersen was fifth after the first round, 0.48 seconds behind Hirscher with Leif Kristian Haugen hot on is heels in 7th place a mere 0.06 seconds behind.

Frustrated

Kristoffersen could not put a good run together in the final round. He lost time in every section and showed his frustration by hitting the ground with his ski-pole after crossing the finish line. In the end it earned him the uncoveted fourth place.

Haugen made some minor mistakes at the top of his run, but kept the pace up to give him the provisional lead. At the end of the day good enough for a medal position.

“Marvelous by Leif! He took insane risks. He managed to keep the speed up all the way down”, said alpine legend Kjetil André Aamodt afterwards. Adding that he was beaten by

“Perhaps the world’s most awesome skier ever, Hirscher.”

 Disappointed Neteland

Bjørnar Neteland was number 28 after the initial round, but made a costly error at the start of the final. The 25 years old was not able to climb into the top 20 and ended as number 26.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today