Schladming, Austria – On the final run on the final day on Sunday, Marcel Hirscher finally brought individual gold to the host Austrian nation at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Schladming.
Hirscher won the men’s slalom in a close fought battle with Germany’s Felix Neureuther and Austria’s Mario Matt.
“It was maybe the toughest thing in my life so far,” admitted Hirscher, 23. “The whole country, about four million people, was watching the race and expecting me to win. The pressure was extremely high and I don’t know what I would have done if I had straddled and not finished the race. It feels very special to me to have become World Champion, especially here in my home country in Austria!”
No Americans made it to the final run. Triple gold medalist Ted Ligety of Park City, Utah, Crested Butte, Colo.’s David Chodounsky and Will Brandenburg, of Spokane, Wash., all went out in the first run.
Canada’s Mike Janyk showed blazing speed to set the pace at the start of a thrilling second run in the men’s slalom, only to lose time at the bottom and battle to a 14th-place finish.
“It was tough. As far as my season’s been going in races, I would say this was a solid race but I know how I was skiing before this,” said Janyk, of Whistler, British Columbia. “I was the skiing the best. It was insane – it was really good.”
Over 300,000 spectators attended the World Championships, including 40,300 on Sunday alone, which now head to the USA and Vail/Beaver Creek, Colo., in 2015.
“The Championships have been marvelous. The conditions have been outstanding and the competitions were extremely exciting,” said Sarah Lewis, International Ski Federation (FIS) Secretary General. “The public celebrated champions and recognized all the great skiers no matter where they came from. It’s been a real festival which has taken over the whole town of Schladming in the past two weeks.”
The U.S. Ski Team won the final medals count of these Championships with four gold and one bronze. Austria had eight overall medals including two gold, Hirscher’s slalom win and the Team Event.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
FIS Alpine World Ski Championships
Schladming, Austria – Feb. 17, 2013
Men’s Slalom
| Rank | Bib | Name | Year | Nation | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total Time | FIS Points |
| 1 | 2 | HIRSCHER Marcel | 1989 | AUT | 55.56 | 55.47 | 1:51.03 | 0.00 |
| 2 | 3 | NEUREUTHER Felix | 1984 | GER | 55.84 | 55.61 | 1:51.45 | 2.35 |
| 3 | 1 | MATT Mario | 1979 | AUT | 56.12 | 55.56 | 1:51.68 | 3.63 |
| 4 | 5 | MYHRER Andre | 1983 | SWE | 56.34 | 55.74 | 1:52.08 | 5.86 |
| 5 | 6 | KOSTELIC Ivica | 1979 | CRO | 56.56 | 55.59 | 1:52.15 | 6.25 |
| 6 | 15 | PINTURAULT Alexis | 1991 | FRA | 56.56 | 55.71 | 1:52.27 | 6.92 |
| 7 | 4 | DOPFER Fritz | 1987 | GER | 56.22 | 56.30 | 1:52.52 | 8.32 |
| 8 | 9 | BYGGMARK Jens | 1985 | SWE | 56.99 | 55.86 | 1:52.85 | 10.16 |
| 9 | 11 | HARGIN Mattias | 1985 | SWE | 56.94 | 56.02 | 1:52.96 | 10.78 |
| 10 | 20 | VALENCIC Mitja | 1978 | SLO | 57.75 | 55.45 | 1:53.20 | 12.12 |