Herminator Goes Goldless
Michael von Gruenigen sent Hermann Maier home without any gold medals.
Von Gruenigen, tied for fourth with the Herminator after the first run, won the giant slalom Thursday at the World Alpine Championships.
"It wasn't very easy today," von Gruenigen said. "The duel between Hermann and me was widely talked about and very much justified. It wasn't easy for him today. Yesterday there was the downhill and I could prepare."
Von Gruenigen races only the technical disciplines while Meier competes in speed events.
"I was able to concentrate and prepare just for the giant slalom and the slalom," von Gruenigen said. "That's an advantage for me. Hermann has to concentrate on more events."
The pair were .36 seconds behind Norway's Kjetil-Andre Aamodt after the first run.
"The first run was a good run, not an exceptional run because there was great visibility," von Gruenigen said.
He then won the gold with a two-run time of 2 minutes, 23.80 seconds. Aamodt was second in 2:24.15.
"I am very happy, it was like gold," Aamodt said. "The piste was very soft, and it was a close race. Von Gruenigen is the best in giant slalom and he deserved to win. I knew I had to go for it and be aggressive, but with this soft piste and the bumps, you never know."
Aamodt received his 15th medal for races at the Olympics and World Championships, a record for men. Five of them are golds, another male record.
"I have had a lot of luck at championships," said Aamodt, who hasn't won a World Cup race this season.
Maier was fourth in 2:24.19, .01 behind France's Frederic Covili.
The Olympic champion in the giant slalom, Maier disappointed optimistic home fans, failing to successfully defend titles in the super-G and downhill.
"It didn't go so badly," said Maier, who finished second in the downhill and third in the super-G. "I was always close to winning."
Gruenigen, 31, almost quit after poor results last season, but changed his mind after deciding to switch equipment in May.
"This title confirms my entire career and confirms my decision to continue skiing and confirms my decision to change skis," von Gruenigen said.
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