Ramon Zenhaeusern takes final World Cup event before Olympics
Swiss skier beats hometown favourite Andre Myhrer in Stockholm
Ramon Zenhaeusern of Switzerland beat home favourite Andre Myhrer of Sweden to claim his first World Cup victory in a parallel slalom city event Tuesday in Stockholm.
With overall leader Mikaela Shiffrin sitting out the women's race, Nina Haver-Loeseth of Norway took her second career win when Swiss rival Wendy Holdener lost control in the second run of the final.
Petra Vlhova of Slovakia beat Frida Hansdotter of Sweden for third.
The men's race was the final World Cup event before the Pyeongchang Olympics and it ended with a duel between the two tallest competitors.
Using his (six-foot-seven) frame to cross check gates with both of his fists, Zenhaeusern edged Myhrer by a narrow 0.06 seconds then learned that the Swede was disqualified for straddling a gate.
Zenhaeusern's previous best results were fourth and sixth in slaloms in Wengen, Switzerland, and Kitzbuehel, Austria, this month.
"It's amazing. It's my first city event," Zenhaeusern said. "My height was definitely an advantage."
Myhrer collected a record fifth podium event in city events.
Linus Strasser of Germany beat Luca Aerni of Switzerland for third.
Needing eight runs to win on a shortened course featuring only 18 gates, skiers hurried back up to the top of the hill after each leg.
Top-ranked Marcel Hirscher and Henrik Kristoffersen were eliminated in the early rounds of the night race held under the lights.
Haver-Loeseth's other win came in a slalom in Santa Caterina Valfurva, Italy, two years ago.
"I needed this. I've had a tough season," Haver-Loeseth said. "It's cool for me to get a good race before I leave for Korea."
The final women's races before the games open Feb. 9 are two downhills in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, this weekend.