Kristoffersen wins Worlds slalom thriller as Greek Ginnis takes silver

The Courchevel Meribel 2023 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships has been a rollercoaster of drama, shocks, treacherous pistes and sublime performances – and the men’s slalom provided all that in abundance as the event drew to a thrilling close on Sunday.

Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR) produced one of the all-time great second runs to capture the gold medal, charging from 16th position to first by skiing at the very limit of his outrageous abilities.

AJ Ginnis (GRE), meanwhile, wrote one of the stories of the championships, winning Greece’s first ever world championships Alpine medal, a silver, +0.20 seconds behind.

Ginnis had previously been a member of the USA ski team, but after being deselected and suffering a run of injuries, the Athens-born athlete began competing for his mother country in 2020.

Alex Vinatzer (ITA) finished +0.38 seconds behind, meanwhile, to claim bronze, and complete a personal redemption after a tough season so far.

The day was Kristoffersen’s, however. After a sub-par first run, the Norwegian slalom ace, who has won 23 World Cup events and three slalom crystal globes, showcased all of his powers the next time down.

He looked like he might lose control at the top of the fast, rutted course, but somehow stayed within the limits of survivability to produce a second run finish that nobody else could get within half a second of.

Kristoffersen sat in the leader’s chair for an agonising half hour, watching racer after racer falter as they tried to better his performance. Eventually, the last man, Manuel Feller (AUT), faltered – summing up Austria’s underwhelming championships.

It resulted in the Norwegian skier’s first world championship or Olympic event gold. A bronze at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games had been his previous best effort.

“So far this is the best one [medal of my career],” said Kristoffersen. “But the next one is the best one, we will see in the future.

“Now it’s done, I’m pretty calm. It’s worse standing in the finish and waiting than standing at the top. I’ve done both plenty of times, but the finish is worse because you’ve done your run, and you can’t change anything.

“So it was pretty emotional when Manu [Feller] crossed the finish line. Today, you had a really straight, easy, fast course for the first run and a really turny, difficult course with close gates at the bottom [for the second]. Today we had everything, so nobody can complain.”

Ginnis was dumbstruck with his performance, which comes a fortnight after he’d claimed his first ever World Cup podium, a second place in the slalom at Chamonix.

With wide gates set by Germany’s coach with Linus Strasser (GER) in mind, the Athenian had full command of a course rammed with variation and massive turns.

“I’m happy I’m too dumb to register what happened two weeks ago, to come into this with a clear mind, and just not think about anything,” said Ginnis.

“I’m out of words. These last two weeks have been everything I’ve dreamed of. Maybe in the after season, I will realise it.

“I’m sorry to my Greek compatriots, the news might be a little bit busy with my name, and I apologise for that, but oh my God, our first world championship medal at a snow or ice event. It is a memory for me, but history for Greece. I can’t believe it.”

Ginnis credited a relaxed attitude and favourable weather for his ascendance. “This might sound stupid, but the conditions [helped],” he said. “The last month we’ve had amazing conditions. Or maybe it’s just racing in France? I have no pressure, I ski for Greece, I ski free.”

Alex Vinatzer was also “more than happy” with his bronze. “I can’t wait to see my family and hug them,” he said.

“I had a really tough winter, lots of outs and straddles. I was always having to get up again and believe in myself.

“Today was really tough. The second run was so turny at the top, and I nearly lost it at the last section. I just tried to push and not go too straight. It worked out pretty well. In fourth place you feel like a loser, and in third you feel like a winner.

“I cried like a baby at the finish, and when I see my family I will probably cry again.”

The men’s FIS World Cup ski season continues on Saturday 25 February with a giant slalom in Palisades Tahoe.

The next FIS Alpine World Ski Championships takes place in 2025 in Saalbach, Austria.