Conditions benefit Grugger

Hans Grugger of Austria on his way to winning the World Cup super-G event in Val Gardena, Italy on Friday. Erik Guay of Canada finished second, 0.31 seconds behind. PHOTO: EPA

Austria's Hans Grugger won a World Cup super-G race for the first time on Friday, as conditions quickly deteriorated for other competitors after his run.

Grugger covered the Saslong course in 1 minute, 37.35 seconds. Erik Guay of Canada finished second, 0.31 seconds behind, and Ambrosi Hoffmann of Switzerland was third, 0.32 seconds back.

Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway finished fifth to take the lead with 412 points in the overall World Cup standings from defending champion Bode Miller, who placed eighth and trails by two points.

"I'm not thinking too much about the overall now," Svindal said.

Svindal raced with bruised ribs and shoulder pain following a fall in downhill training Wednesday. He holds an 11-point lead over Guay atop the super-G standings.

Guay also finished second in the season's last super-G in Beaver Creek, Colorado, on Dec. 1.

It was Grugger's third World Cup win of his career, following downhill victories in Bormio and Chamonix last season.

"I've had some good results in downhill, but I've always wanted to get a good result in super-G, especially in such a an important season," said Grugger, referring to the Turin Olympics from Feb. 10-26.

Starting 14th, Grugger benefited from changing conditions that slowed later starters such as Hermann Maier, who finished sixth, and the reigning super-G world champion Miller.

Miller's American teammate, Scott Macartney, was the surprise of the day, finishing a career-best seventh despite starting 38th.

Hoffmann said he was worried about losing his podium place during Macartney's run.

Italy's Alessandro Fattori crashed midway through his run, slamming backward into the safety fencing. Teammate Kristian Ghedina, who led both downhill training sessions Wednesday and Thursday, skipped the super-G to concentrate on his attempt at a record fifth win on the Saslong in Saturday's downhill.

Local favorite Wang Jiao of China and Canadian Warren Shouldice shared top honors in the World Cup freestyle-aerials event Friday in Changchun.

Wang won the women's section with a score of 178.48, edging out compatriot Zhao Shanshan who scored 172.67. Third place went to Switzerland's Evelyne Leu, with 168.58.

In the men's event, Shouldice edged Dimitri Dashinski of Belarus 246.57 points to 244.18. Third went to Canada's Kyle Nissen with 236.73.

After three of 11 events in the women's aerials, Li Nina of China leads the pack.