Timon Haugan wins men's slalom at World Cup finals. Manuel Feller receives his 1st globe
Austria's Manuel Feller kisses the trophy for the alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom discipline, in Saalbach, Austria, Sunday, March 17, 2024. Credit: AP/Marco Trovati
SAALBACH-HINTERGLEMM, Austria — Timon Haugan held on to his first-run lead to win the men's slalom at the World Cup finals Sunday, giving the Norwegian ski team its first victory of the season.
Haugan beat Manuel Feller, the winner of the discipline season title, by 0.40 seconds after the Austrian improved from fourth after the first run. Linus Strasser of Germany, who was second, dropped to third, 0.44 behind.
Haugan had earned three career podiums in slalom before, most recently in Schladming in January, but was yet to win a World Cup event.
Right after the race, his Norwegian teammates stormed into the finish area and dragged Haugan down in celebration, then put him on their shoulders.
The Norwegian team has racked up 16 top-three results this season, but won just one event across all disciplines.
A week after locking up the discipline title, Feller received the first globe of his career.
“Just amazing, especially in front of a crowd like that at home, you can’t write a book better (than) that," Feller said.
Norway's Timon Haugan competes in the first run of an alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom race, in Saalbach, Austria, Sunday, March 17, 2024. Credit: AP/Alessandro Trovati
He became the joined-oldest winner of the slalom season title, following on from fellow Austrian Reinfried Herbst in 2010 and Croatian standout Ivica Kostelic in 2011 who were also 31 when they won the globe.
After parading his trophy, Feller got down on his knees and wrote a few letters in the snow.
“Me and my friends, we lost a friend one-and-a-half years ago. I just wanted to share a little moment with him,” the Austrian said.
Feller secured the title when the penultimate slalom in Slovenia was canceled due to bad weather, leaving runner-up Strasser without enough races to make up the gap of 169 points in the discipline standings.
Germany's Linus Strasser competes in the first run of an alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom race, in Saalbach, Austria, Sunday, March 17, 2024. Credit: AP/Marco Trovati
Feller takes over from last year’s globe winner, Lucas Braathen, who sat out the current campaign following a dispute with the Norwegian ski federation but has announced his return for next season competing for Brazil, his mother's home nation.
The men continue the World Cup finals with the super-G on Friday.
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