Colorful NBA reporter Sager dies after battle with cancer SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2016 SATURDAY, SportsSports 42 VAL D’ISERE: Slovenia’s Ilka Stuhec competes on her way to win an alpine ski, women’s World Cup combined, in Val d’Isere, France, yesterday. — AP Ilka Stuhec wins W Cup Alpine combined race VAL D’ISERE: Ilka Stuhec moved from third to first and won “I was definitely anxious at the start of the slalom,” a World Cup Alpine combined race yesterday for her third Goggia said. “Training is one thing, to start in a World Cup is victory of the season. way different. I just tried to get the rhythm in the first gate Norway’s Jansrud wins Sitting third after the downhill run, the Slovenian fin- and keep it.” Defending overall World Cup champion Lara ished .12 seconds ahead of Michelle Gisin and .16 clear of Gut was sixth after the downhill and went off course in the Val Gardena super-G Soffia Goggia following the slalom run on the Oreiller-Killy slalom. “It’s part of the game. One time you win, one time course. “It feels amazing, because I know my run in the you go out,” Gut said. “It’s never fun to ski out. I know what VAL GARDENA: Olympic champion Kjetil Jansrud and Norwegian team- morning was not perfect and I made a few mistakes,” (went wrong), but I don’t think it’s the right place to explain mate Aleksander Aamodt Kilde finished 1-2 in a super-G yesterday to Stuhec said. “I’ve never liked slalom too much, actually. what’s going on.” Her failure to finish cost her valuable extend their country’s recent dominance in Val Gardena - and in the World Lately we’ve been training it a bit more than before.” points as she bids to close the gap on Shiffrin - considered Cup speed events. Stuhec’s two other wins this season were in downhill, her main rival for the overall title. It could have been another podium sweep for the “Attacking Vikings” but both in Lake Louise. Prior to this season, she had not placed “I just have to try and not think too much,” said Gut, who Aksel Lund Svindal wasted a fast start to his run with two major mistakes, ulti- higher than fourth in a race. “With the self-confidence I have won last year’s downhill in Val d’Isere. “It didn’t really work mately skiing through a gate and not finishing. from the races and the results, I’m going fast,” Stuhec said. today.” Gut, who also won last year’s Alpine combined at Jansrud clocked 1 minute, 31.99 seconds down the Saslong course, finish- “I’m feeling confident at the moment and having fun.” the French resort, is third in the standings - 14 points behind ing 0.06 seconds ahead of Kilde and 0.13 in front of Canadian veteran Erik Gisin, who is the younger sister of Olympic downhill cham- Goggia and 105 behind Shiffrin. Guay. Olympic downhill champion Matthias Mayer of Austria finished fourth, pion Dominique Gisin, secured her first career podium. Her Shiffrin is skipping the speed events in Val d’Isere and 0.48 behind, as he returned to the site of a horrific crash a year ago which end- previous best was sixth place last weekend in slalom at the will return for Tuesday’s giant slalom in the nearby resort of ed his season. Olympic combined champion Sandro Viletta was airlifted off Italian resort of Sestriere. “I’m very happy to share a podium Courchevel. the course by helicopter after crashing and brought to a local hospital. It with these two girls who are skiing so good,” Gisin said. “Ilka American skier Laurenne Ross had led the race after wasn’t immediately clear what type of injuries the Swiss racer had. already did such an amazing performance in Lake Louise. going fastest in the downhill run, but she ended up in 10th. Jansrud has now won all three speed races this season. He swept a super-G I’m just happy I could ski the way I can.” It was her second career top-10 finish. “I don’t ever go into and downhill in Val d’Isere, France, earlier this month. Last year in Val Gardena, Goggia is also having a breakthrough year. This was her slalom with any expectations. I don’t really ski it very often Svindal, Jansrud and Kilde finished 1-2-3 for Norway in the super-G. fifth podium in seven races this season and moved her up to and it’s tough to hang in there,” Ross said. “I was just a little Norwegians have won the Val Gardena super-G five consecutive times, with second place in the World Cup standings behind American bit passive. But I’m happy with the result.” There is a down- Svindal posting three victories and Jansrud two. — AP slalom specialist Mikaela Shiffrin. hill race today and a super-G tomorrow. — AP.