By Simon Jennings
YANQING, China (Reuters) – The final individual men’s event, the slalom, takes place at the Winter Olympics on Wednesday, and promises to be the most open alpine skiing event at the Games in recent memory.
All six World Cup slalom races this season have been won by different skiers and the retirement of Austria’s Marcel Hirscher, widely considered to be the greatest alpine skier of all time, has left a vacuum at the top of the sport.
Andre Myhrer of Sweden, gold medallist in Pyeongchang four years ago, has also retired, so there will be a new Olympic champion crowned.
The slalom will be held on the course nicknamed “The Ice River” at the Yanqing Alpine Centre, with the first run scheduled for 10:15 local time (0215 GMT), and the second due to start at 13:45 (0545 GMT).
Norway have a shot at winning their third alpine medal in China to go with Aleksander Aamodt Kilde’s silver in the combined and bronze in the super-G.
The Norwegians have three slalom contenders, including 21-year-old Lucas Braathen, who won the classic race in Wengen and finished second in Kitzbuehel.
Braathen’s compatriot and reigning world champion Sebastian Foss-Solevaag is also in the mix, alongside Henrik Kristoffersen, the most successful active slalom skier on the circuit.
Kristoffersen will be desperate to put his disappointment in Pyeongchang behind him.
The 27-year-old was leading after the first run and had an open path to gold after Hirscher crashed out, but made an error a few gates into his second run and skied out.
“I feel like the last little bit of confidence, this last little gear, this little click, that real flow is missing but it could come pretty quick,” he told Reuters.
Austria has two contenders in Manuel Feller, who has two World Cup podiums this season, and Johannes Strolz, who won a gold medal in China in the combined, and claimed his first World Cup slalom win in Adelboden.
Dave Ryding, Britain’s 35-year-old veteran, is also a threat having won the classic Kitzbuehel race, while Germany’s Linus Strasser won the final race before the Olympics, in Schladming.
Frenchman Clement Noel, who finished just outside the medal places in Pyeongchang, could also challenge, along with 37-year-old Italian Giuliano Razzoli.
(Reporting by Simon Jennings, editing by Ed Osmond)
