Peter Fill on Wednesday became the first Italian to win the men’s downhill title, while Beat Feuz of Switzerland triumphed in the last race in the discipline at the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup finals.
Fill started the race level on points with Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal, who has been sidelined with a knee injury since January, and four points above Italy’s Dominik Paris, who was not at his best after crashing in training on Tuesday and injuring his thigh and knee.
Paris, who won the past two downhills, attacked at the start, but was clearly struggling and finished 19th on the tricky Corviglia course in falling snow. Fill was last to go and he just needed to finish safely to clinch the title, but he did not know that.
Photo: Gian Ehrenzeller / Keystone / AP
He crossed the line in 10th, and only after US rival Steven Nyman told him he was the newly crowned king of skiing’s marquee event did Fill fall to his knees with his head in his hands and became teary.
“It is a dream come true for me,” Fill said. “I worked hard and a lot for it. It was not an easy race for me going last, the tension and everything. I was on top on a corner alone and I knew nothing, no results from the other guys. I only knew when Steven Nyman told me: ‘You have won.’ I think everyone could see my emotions.”
Fill finished 26 points ahead of Svindal, who won four races before his season-ending injury.
“It is a very important day,” Italian ski federation president Flavio Roda said. “It is something which has never been achieved by Italians, so it is very emotional. We need to celebrate these guys, especially Peter. This is the most important present for him. I will just give him a hug.”
Nyman was second on the day, just 0.08 seconds slower than Feuz, to clinch a fourth successive podium. Erik Guay of Canada was third, 0.54 seconds off the pace.
“I skied really, really well today; nailed the top, the technical section that leads onto the flat,” Nyman said. “But then the last turn I was a little too shallow, and did not carry the speed I needed, and that is where they got me. [It is] hard to believe, four podiums in a row. I learned a lot this year, really happy, feeling strong, but I am also ready for the season to end.”
Nyman said his performance on the course, which is to host next year’s world championships, will serve as “a real confidence booster.”
Norway’s Kjetil Jansrud finished fourth to move level with Paris in third spot in the overall standings.
“I am happy for Fill, congratulations to him,” Paris said. “There is still a bit of pain, there was not much visibility, I did not understand the slope ... everything was missing a bit today.”
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