Noel wins World Cup slalom in Chamonix
Clément Noël got his first World Cup win in a year on Saturday, triumphing in the penultimate slalom before the world championships. The French skier won three slaloms in each of the last two seasons but had been waiting for another victory since prevailing in Chamonix in February.
The Canadian Press Clement Noel , The Canadian Press
CHAMONIX, France Clément Noël got his first World Cup win in a year on Saturday, triumphing on home snow in the penultimate slalom before the world championships.
The French skier won three slaloms in each of the last two seasons but had been waiting for another victory since prevailing in Chamonix in February.
Saturday, 30 January 2021
France’s Clement Noël earned a first International Ski Federation (FIS) Alpine Ski World Cup win of the season as he took the first of the two slalom races scheduled this weekend at Chamonix.
The home athlete, who finished second behind the Austrian who leads the overall slalom standings, Marco Schwarz, at the World Cup event in Schladming last Tuesday (January 26), finished 0.16sec clear of second-placed Ramon Zenhäusern of Switzerland.
This home slope is a happy hunting ground for the 25-year-old Noël, the 2018 world junior champion who missed the slalom podium by one place at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics.
French skier Noël gets 1st slalom win of season on home snow
January 30, 2021 GMT
CHAMONIX, France (AP) Clément Noël got his first World Cup win in a year on Saturday, triumphing on home snow in the penultimate slalom before the world championships.
The French skier won three slaloms in each of the last two seasons but had been waiting for another victory since prevailing in Chamonix in February.
Returning to the same course Saturday, Noël improved from third position after the opening leg as the top two lost time in similar mistakes halfway through their final runs.
Returning to the same course Saturday, Noël improved from third position after the opening leg as the top two lost time in similar mistakes halfway through their final runs.
On a course softened by persistent rain, first-run leader Marco Schwarz of Austria dropped to third, 0.19 seconds behind Noël, while Switzerland s Ramon Zenhäusern remained in second and trailed by 0.16.
Schwarz was fastest in a tight opening run, leading Zenhäusern by 0.02 and Noël by 0.03. It was pretty difficult. There were lots of bumps, lots of ruts. I’m usually not so good in that type of condition, said Noël, adding he regretted his home race was without spectators amid anti-coronavirus measures.