Industry News
The last event of the 2023 FIS Alpine World Championships in Courchevel and Méribél, France, was the Men’s Slalom won by Henrik Kristoffersen. The Norwegian had finished the first run in a disappointing 16th place, almost a whole second behind leading man Manuel Feller from Austria. Kristoffersen seemed without a chance to podium, but he put down a smashing second run, winning him the fastest overall time. Since the second run in Slalom is in reverse order, Henrik Kristoffersen had to wait an agonizing half hour for the following 15 skiers to finish their second run, but the Norwegian skier remained unbeaten.
Equally stunning was AJ Ginnis’ second place. The former US skier, who was dropped from the US team in 2020 and now races for Greece, had placed second in the first run and managed to hold on to that position in the second run, finishing 0.20 seconds behind the Norwegian. It is AJ’s second podium after placing second at the Chamonix, France, FIS World Cup just two weeks prior.
Third place went to Alex Vinatzer from Italy, 0.38 seconds behind Kristoffersen. It is the Italian’s first Slalom World Championship medal.
Meanwhile, Manuel Feller could not match his first run and finished in 7th place, tying with Kristoffersen’s teammate Lucas Braathen, who made a surprise comeback after a recent appendix surgery.
Silver medal winner Ginnis gushed in an interview in the finish area: “I’m out of words. These last two weeks have been everything I’ve dreamed of. Maybe in the after season, I will realize it. I’m sorry to my Greek compatriots, the news might be a little bit busy with my name, and I apologize for that, but oh my God, our first world championship medal at a snow or ice event. It is a memory for me, but history for Greece. I can’t believe it.”
The Men’s FIS Alpine World Cup ski season continues on Saturday, 25 February 2023, with a Giant Slalom in Palisades Tahoe.
