Ted Ligety put it down when it mattered in the last run of the Winner Takes All festival of music and skiing at Rockfest. Ligety came into the final five Final run in second place after young Italian Luca de Alprandini came from the ... Qualifying round to post the leading time into the final. Aksel Lund Svindal took fourth place in the final.
The event was described by Bode Miller as being a little like the Olympics as it was a winner takes all event. No Gold medals this time, just a mere €75,000 for the winner and nothing for the rest of the field.
Svindal, in the final for the second time in the history of the event, was happy to make the final as “the best guys are at the best event,” he explained. While it was not his best run in the final, Svindal goes into the Christmas break as the Overall leader on the World Cup.
After having taken third place in the Alta Badia Giant Slalom, Ligety was back on form as he stormed into the Final Five. With the course just shy of forty seconds long and with a jump to contend with as well, Ligety described the event as “Awesome.” With no second chances or second runs to get the racers out of jail, Ligety played safe until the final run before letting rip. He won the final run by just under three tenths of a second from the young Italian de Aliprendini with Czech racer Kristof Kryzl in third.
“I am really happy to beat all these guys,” explained Ligety as he was presented with the cheque for winning this unique race.
Bode Miller had earlier looked in determined form in the quarter finals. It was a win of bust event he felt and the type of race he likes. In the Semi final sadly a small mistake saw him ski wide in the first third of the course and his chance was over. As he came down the course he set himself up nicely for the jump over a car and executed a perfect 360 degree jump!
As soon as the final runner came through the finish, failing to beat Ligety's time, it was a race to soak Mr GS in Champagne!
Results:
- Ted Ligety (USA) HEAD
- Luca di Aliprandini (ITA)
- Kristof Kryzl (CZE)
- Aksel Lund Svindal (NOR) HEAD
NMcQ