Svindal wins World Cup downwhill after cancellation

LENZERHEIDE, Switzerland (AFP) –

Aksel Lund Svindal competes during the 2013 Ski World Championshis in Schladming on February 9, 2013

Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal competes during the men’s downhill event of the 2013 Ski World Championshis in Schladming, Austria on February 9, 2013. Svindal was named World Cup downhill champion after the final race of the season here was cancelled due to fog.

Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal was named World Cup downhill champion after Wednesday’s final race of the season here was cancelled due to fog.

It was the 30-year-old’s second Crystal Globe this season, having already triumphed in the Super-G, and his ninth overall.

However, while the fog ensured he earned his first Crystal Globe in the downhill, it also denied the reigning world champion the chance to close the gap on overall leader Marcel Hirscher of Austria, who leads the Norwegian by 149 points.

Svindal has only three more races — a Super-G, Giant Slalom and Slalom — to try to snatch the overall title from Hirscher but the Austrian has been the more accomplished of the pair in the technical disciplines this season.

The women’s downhill race has yet to be cancelled but persistent fog means it is likely to suffer the same fate, which would leave USA’s Lindsey Vonn, currently recovering from a serious crash in February, as the champion.