Kristoffersen claimed his first World Championships title - and medal

Kristoffersen claimed his first World Championships title - and medal posted: 16/02/2019

Kristoffersen almost couldnt believe that he had won.

It was a tough battle between Alexis Pinturault, Marcel Hirscher and Henrik Kristoffersen for who would claim that sought-after Giant Slalom gold medal. They were all within 18 hundredths of a second after the first run. And it was a dramatic ending, where Henrik Kristoffersen claimed his first ever World Championships medal - and thereby his first World Championships title.

The first run in the men's giant slalom was staged with the sun shining from a clear blue sky. Thanks to the weather and, once again, heroic efforts by the slope crew, the Giant Slalom could start from the top of the hill.

Austrian Marcel Hirscher, reigning Giant Slalom World Champion, was the top favorite for claiming another title. But Alexis Pinturault nailed his run and the Frenchman, who won the men's Alpine Combined earlier this week, was in the lead after the first run, ahead of Hirscher and Henrik Kristoffersen from Norway.

Alexis Pinturault claimed his second medal in re.

The second run was dramatic. More than one athlete did what they could to challenge the top three athletes but Pinturault, Hirscher and Kristoffersen did not bend for the pressure. Kristoffersen, who was third after the first race, attacked furiously in the second and pushed leading Lo c Meillard out of the leading position with a margin of 92 hundredths of a second.

Hirscher's second run was equally aggressive but he did not find the same flow as the Norwegian and came in 20 hundredths of a second after Kristoffersen. It was up to Pinturault to change the outcome of the event, but he could not match Henrik Kristoffersen's tempo. The Norwegian claimed his first World Championships medal and thus his first gold, to the joy of the many Norwegians in the audience.

Marcel Hirscher could not push Kristoffersen from first place.

- It was about time. Everyone has been working insanely, so it's amazing. I haven't won a GS since 2015, said Kristoffersen, who could barely believe it when he saw the green sign at the finish line.

- I have worked so hard and been close so many times. I just went for it, he continued.

Today's first place was also his first of the season. Hirscher was thereby second and claimed his eighth World Championships medal while Pinturault finished in third place and claimed his second medal after winning the Alpine Combined earlier this week.

Henrik Kristoffersen finally claimed his gold. Photo

Considering the circumstances of how everything went in the last three days, this is actually a very cool result, on the other hand the papers will be writing that the second place is the first loser, but I can live very, very well with that. It fits, but I would have liked to defend my title, said the dethroned title-holder Hirscher with mixed feelings.

Tomorrow at some point I will be happy about silver. Henrik has mastered it brilliantly today and he deserves it too, if you want to search for two tenths, then you would find them, but it fits everything as it is Hirscher sent congratulations to his eternal rival from Norway.

Hirscher was struggling with a cold earlier this week but is sure he will be able to fight back in the Sunday's slalom event.

Until Sunday, I should be fit again, so I will fully attack in the slalom!

Plenty of Norwegian fans on site in re.

LINK:	https://www.live-production.tv/news/sports/kristoffersen-claimed-his-f...
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