Linus Strasser achieves rare German feat, capturing 2nd World Cup slalom in 4 days

Linus Strasser became the first German skier in 34 years to win two men’s World Cup slaloms in a row by triumphing at a night race Wednesday in Schladming, Austria, three days after he won the slalom of the classic Hahnenkamm event 140 kilometres west in Kitzbuehel.

Racing in the rain in front of 22,500 spectators, Strasser held his first-run lead as he beat Timon Haugan of Norway by 0.28 seconds in a combined one minute 45.20 seconds.

Olympic champion and last year’s winner Clement Noel of France was 1.02 behind in third (1:46.22).

“Two very nice races for me. Already felt pretty good in skiing before Kitzbuehel, so I took all the momentum to Schladming. And, yeah, super happy,” Strasser said.

“For me, skiing at the moment, I keep it very simple. That’s one key for the success.”

The last skier from Germany who won back-to-back slaloms was Armin Bittner. The second of his two wins in January 1990 also happened in Schladming.

Strasser two years ago also won the annual night race, held at the venue of the 2013 world championships, for his third career victory but didn’t win another event until last weekend.

‘A lot of calmness in my skiing’

Toronto’s Justin Alkier was top Canadian but didn’t advance to the second run. He was 52nd of 54 finishers in the opener, while Calgary’s Erik Read and Asher Jordan of North Vancouver, B.C., didn’t finish.

Strasser positioned himself for Wednesday’s win by taking a lead in the opening run. One of the first four starters who had their runs before rain set in, Strasser was 0.10 seconds faster than Haugan, and then extended his lead in the final run.

“It was a very, very good first run. A lot of calmness in my skiing,” Strasser said.

Manuel Feller trailed Strasser by 1.14 in fifth place. The Austrian remained in the lead of the discipline standings after winning three of the previous five slaloms this season.

World champion Henrik Kristoffersen was 1-100th of a second behind Feller in sixth.

Feller’s teammate Fabio Gstrein posted the fastest time in the second run and the Austrian improved from 26th to 10th position.

Mild temperatures and the rain made conditions on the Planai course vastly different from the rock-solid and icy surface at Tuesday’s giant slalom. That race was won by Swiss star Marco Odermatt, who does not compete in slaloms.

Wednesday’s race was briefly interrupted after 30 starters in the opening run when climate activists entered the course behind the finish line and sprinkled powder on the snow in a protest identical to the one at a slalom in Gurgl in November last year.

The men’s World Cup travels to Germany for two super-G races in Garmisch-Partenkirchen this weekend.

WATCH | Strasser realizes dream of winning World Cup slalom in Kitzbuehel: