Svindal wins overall World Cup ski title

Aksel Lund Svindal in action at Kvitfjell. Photo: Ida Rusten.

ARE, Sweden (AFP) — Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal won the World Cup overall title for the second time here Saturday (Feb. 14) when his sole remaining rival, Benjamin Raich of Austria, dramatically crashed out of the first leg of the closing slalom run.

Svindal had led by a meagre two points going into the final race of the World Cup finals, but Raich had been expected to move ahead of him as the slalom is his speciality, whilst the Norwegian prefers the speed disciplines.

Both men though failed to complete the first of the two runs leaving the 26-year-old Svindal to claim his second overall World Cup title after his triumph in 2007.

To read the entire AFP article, click here.