13th season win for Marcel Hirscher

The races at the World Cup Finals in Are went into the last round and both the cup and the race win went to Austria's Marcel Hirscher.

As for most of the season, the battle at the top of the giant slalom rankings is between Marcel Hirscher and Henrik Kristoffersen. Despite a mistake in the first run, the Austrian could take the lead in the first run and hold on going into a shortened second run. With this he claimed his 13th win of the season, equalling a record set by Ingemar Stenmark and Hermann Maier. He also won 11 of the last 12 races in that discipline, what allowed him to earn his 5th crystal globe in giant slalom.

The fastest man in the second run was Henrik Kristoffersen! The Norwegian, who has celebrated 11 second places this season, was able to beat Marcel Hirscher in the second run, but still ended in second place, +0.23 off the winning pace. Kristoffersen consolidated his second place in the giant slalom season ranking, proving that he made a big step in that discipline this season.

In third place Victor Muffat-Jeandet grabs his first giant slalom podium of the season. The French athlete had his breakthrough two seasons ago, but struggled to score podiums last season and at the beginning of 2017/18. In Wengen, with his first World Cup win in alpine combined, things changed and he could carry on winning an Olympic bronze medal in that discipline and now enjoy a third place in giant slalom, his 7th in career.

Another Frenchman finished in the third place of the season ranking in giant slalom. It’s the only man that was able to win a race in Marcel Hirscher’s long winning streak; Alexis Pinturault. With his win in Val d’Isère and solid results throughout the season, including three third spots, he was able to climb on the cup podium for the sixth consecutive year.

Tomorrow will be the final day of the Audi FIS World Cup Finals. The men’s slalom will conclude the 2017/18 season at 10:45 (first run) and 13:30 (second), before the remaining globes will be handed over. While the slalom and the overall globe will go to Marcel Hirscher, Austria will collect the men’s nations’ cup award. The only ranking left open is the Longine Rising Star, where Loïc Meillard and Marco Schwarz are still battling for the title.