A First for Schilchegger
Unheralded Austrian Heinz Schilchegger, who considered himself more of a giant slalom skier after reaching three podiums in recent years, achieved an amazing performance this Sunday in beating some of the finest slalom specialists to earn his first World Cup victory by nearly a half-second over teammate Mario Matt.

The defending slalom World Cup winner Kjetil Aamodt from Norway came in 3rd, followed by the reigning Olympic Champion Hans Petter Buraas.

With Schilchegger leading the slalom standings, the 27-year-old Austrian had an impressive first run when he clocked the 4th best time despite his high start number (35). He felt so relaxed afterwards that he had no problem taking risks again in the afternoon — the best tactic indeed, as he beat Mario Matt by almost two seconds. Schilchegger had a hard time believing what had happened to him in the finish area.

"This win has a great value. I have been fighting hard for it in past years...."

"This is unbelievable," he said. "I don't know what to say. In the first run, I made two mistakes and I was happy to be in 4th place. In the second run, I was able to give everything possible."

"I thought my first win might come in GS," he said afterwards.

"I felt confident in slalom after our excellent training camps last summer, but I was far to believe I could win this slalom. Since I start for many years in the back, I had not problems to master the ruts and the rough course. With my short Atomic skis, I can really cruise in the holes. They are really fast on the flat parts. This win has a great value. I have been fighting hard for it in past years. When you're part of the Austrian team, only victories count for you, the public, the sponsors or the suppliers. I have now a good chance to qualify for the World's at St. Anton which is the main goal of all of us. I guess that we have at least to win a race to have a chance to be part of the official delegation there."

Schilchegger gave partial credit for his strong form to occasional pre-season training with Hermann Maier, who has dominated alpine skiing since the 1998 season and won the overall, downhill, super-G and GS titles a year ago. Both often meet at the Austrian Olympic Training Center in Obertauern where Heinz lives.

"I'm 20 kilos (44 pounds) lighter, so we don't have the same program, but it has helped me, for sure," he said.

Matt, who held a one-second lead after the first leg, struggled on his second run and lost his chance for a third career win. But he proved once more that he is the skier to beat in this event.

The tall Austrian, a two-time winner last season, said a pair of 3rd place finishes in non-World Cup US Super Series slaloms, a week earlier in Colorado, gave him confidence coming into the race.

"Thanks to my bib number 1, I was able to ski smooth and light in my first run," he said. "But I made mistakes in my second run and that cost me the victory."

"But, I'm please the same. I feel able to improve."

Aamodt was surprised and delighted with his 3rd place finish after two tough runs. "I'm always was pleased to be on the podium," he said.

"The course was one of the most difficult ones I've skied, and I've been on the World Cup for 10 years," he added.

The course, which was injected with water during the night to help harden the snow conditions, broke down in some parts, creating problems for many skiers. "I don't know what happened, but it was breaking apart," Aamodt explained.

"It's good to start the slalom season with another 3rd place as last winter at Beaver Creek. It gives me great momentum for the next races. I aim to improve my level in the speed events this season. I have worked hard on my equipment last summer. My main goal is to win as many races as possible. I'm competing for 10 years on the World Cup tour, but I only managed to win 18 events. Hermann Maier, who had joined us in 1997, has won 30 times. I wish to be as consistent as him, but it's difficult when you compete in all four events as I do. But that's the way I enjoy ski racing."

This is also the case for Lasse Kjus, a strong 10th at the end of the day. Both Scandinavian's hope to challenge the Austrians as they did in 1999 when they dominated the World Cup and the World Championships at Vail. Together, they clinched seven medals out of 15. "It's great to have him back in form, it makes my life more interesting," concluded Aamodt.

America's Erik Schlopy, 4th in the GS on Friday, scored some points in taking 21st place. He tied with Scotland's Alain Baxter, who scored his first points too (which are also the first points for Great Britain in a men's technical event since the late 1960s).

The Brit's, who basically invented the rules of Alpine Ski Racing in the 1920s, haven't enjoyed a major international victory since WWII. The best British result on the men's tour was a 2nd place in the downhill, obtained by Konrad Bartelski at Val Gardena in 1981.

Switzerland's Michael von Grúnigen took the lead in the Overall World Cup standings with 13th place — just a few points ahead of Hermann Maier — who didn't compete in that race. Also among the top-10 were Slovenia's Mitjaz Vrhovnik and Mitja Kunc, two winners from last winter; Sebastien Amiez the 1996 slalom World Cup winner took 8th, and the 1999 Overall World Cup champion Lasse Kjus was a strong 10th.

The next men's slalom is three weeks off on Dec. 11, the annual night slalom in Sestriere, Italy, while the first speed events of the season are next Saturday and Sunday — a downhill and super-G at Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies.

— Patrick Lang, World Cup Correspondent

Races this weekend: Women's GS | Men's GS | Women's Slalom | Park City Preview

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