Neureuther ends Hirscher slalom streak

WENGEN, Switzerland (AFP) –

Felix Neureuther of Germany clears a gate on his way to win the men’s slalom at the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup on January 20, 2013 in Wengen, Austria.

Felix Neureuther of Germany won the men’s World Cup slalom here on Sunday timing 1min 50.53sec to bring to an end a run of three successive wins for Austrian Marcel Hirscher.

The 28-year-old – recording his second win of the campaign – timed 0.21 sec quicker over the two legs than overall World Cup leader Hirscher while Croatian great Ivica Kostelic was third 0.25 sec adrift of the winner.

Hirscher posted the fastest time on the first run, but Neureuther comprehensively overhauled his five-hundredths of a second advantage on the second run.

Kostelic, who has won the past three slalom events here, had to settle for third – his 12th top three finish in Wengen – after his second place in Friday’s super-combined.

Neureuther said: “It’s a great feeling to win in Wengen. Marcel and I are good friends so it’s nice to win a battle between Austria and Germany. I’m really, really happy and proud of myself today.

“It was really tight on the first run, there were 15 skiiers within a second of each other. Everyone had to go for it, and that’s what I did, which is why I’m so pleased with myself.

Hirscher conceded: “I’ve got to admit I’m lucky to have finished second, because Ivica was really close – I have to congratulate him on what he did today. It’s a second place won because I could very easily have been third.”

At the halfway stage of the season, Hirscher is a massive 188 points ahead of Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal in the overall standings.