Atle Lie McGrath, a skier from Norway born in the United States, narrowly defeated Olympic champion Clement Noel to secure a win in a World Cup slalom event held in Alta Badia, Italy. Noel had led after the initial run but lost his advantage early in the second leg on the Gran Risa course.
McGrath, who finished 0.30 seconds ahead of Noel, clocked a total time of one minute 44.50 seconds over the two runs, outpacing third-place finisher Loic Meillard by 39-100ths of a second. McGrath expressed immense joy at his victory, especially after missing a previous opportunity to win at Gurgl, Austria, where he placed third.
With this win, McGrath has now accumulated four career victories in slalom on the World Cup circuit, complemented by six second-place finishes in the same discipline. The 25-year-old American-born Norwegian is shaping up to be a strong contender for a medal in the slalom event at the upcoming Milan-Cortina Olympics scheduled for February 16 in Bormio.
Following the competition, Noel hinted at better performances in the future, mentioning plans to improve his skiing in January and enjoy quality time with his family during the holidays. Meanwhile, Erik Read from Calgary was the sole Canadian participant in the event but failed to complete the opening run.
Timon Haugan maintained his lead in the season-long World Cup slalom standings despite finishing fourth, trailing McGrath by 0.53 seconds. Haugan also ascended to second place in the overall World Cup standings, with Marco Odermatt, the four-time defending champion who does not compete in slalom, still holding the top spot.
The next men’s World Cup race is set to take place in Livigno, Italy, featuring a super-G event on Saturday, near Bormio, the venue for all men’s alpine races at the Olympics. McGrath, who seldom competes in super-G races, intends to engage in some cross-country skiing before the next World Cup event, a slalom scheduled for January 7 at Madonna di Campiglio, also in Italy.