Ligety Takes Flight On Audi Birds Of Prey Giant Slalom

There were two stories that unfolded Sunday at the 2010 Audi Birds of Prey World Cup Giant Slalom, both worthy of headlines and both bringing smiles to the large crowd assembled in Beaver Creek for the races.
For the home country fans, the first story centered around U.S. Ski Team member Ted Ligety. The 26-year-old from Park City, Utah, took flight on the Birds of Prey, posting the fastest time on both runs to win the Audi Birds of Prey Giant Slalom, outdistancing runner-up Kjetil Jansrud of Norway, while Austria’s Marcel Hirscher claimed the third place spot.
For Ligety, the win vaulted him to the top step of the podium for the first time in Beaver Creek after second, third and fourth place Giant Slalom finishes over the past three seasons. The victory also marked the sixth of his career, all in Giant Slalom.
“It’s obviously great to win,” explained Ligety, “and it’s even better to win in the U.S. I really attacked in both runs because I didn’t want to give this one away.”

The American did indeed put the pedal to the metal in the second run. Leading by 36 hundredths of a second after one, Ligety extended that lead to 82 hundredths in the final standings.

The day’s second story appealed to all fans of ski racing as Switzerland’s Daniel Albrecht stepped into the starting gate of his first World Cup race since sustaining life threatening injuries in a Downhill training run crash in January of 2009 in Kitzbuhel, Austria.

The Red Tail Finish Stadium erupted in a roar when Albrecht crossed the finish line in the first run, eventually finding himself in 17th position and qualifying for the second run. The assembled trainers and athletes in the coach’s corral applauded as well before offering hugs and high fives to the Swiss racer.


Albrecht ended the day in 21st position in the final rankings, earning himself the first World Cup race points in 22 months. Prior to his accident Albrecht had captured a pair of Audi Birds of Prey races during the 2007 event.

When a Birds of Prey race official offered congratulations, Albrecht replied, “I love Beaver Creek. It is a very special place for me.”

Other American finishes on the day included Tim Jitloff in 23rd position, Warner Nickerson in 24th and Bode Miller in 27th.

The 2011 Audi Birds of Prey World Cup Race Week is slated for December 2-4, with Downhill, Super-G and Giant Slalom again on tap.

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