Atle Lie McGrath, a skier from Norway but born in the U.S., secured a victory over Olympic champion Clement Noel in a recent World Cup slalom event held in Alta Badia, Italy. McGrath outpaced Noel by 0.30 seconds, clocking a two-run total time of one minute 44.50 seconds, and finishing 39-100ths of a second faster than the third-place finisher, Loic Meillard, the reigning world champion. McGrath expressed his joy at the win, highlighting his missed opportunity for victory in a previous slalom event in Austria.
McGrath, known for his distinctive post-race move of kicking off his ski and catching it mid-air, has now accumulated four wins on the World Cup circuit, all in slalom, along with six second-place finishes. The 25-year-old skier, originally from Vermont, is seen as a formidable contender for a medal in the slalom event at the upcoming Milan-Cortina Olympics in Bormio on February 16.
In a hopeful outlook, Noel mentioned that his skiing performance is currently good and expects it to improve in January, looking forward to spending quality time with his family over the holiday season. Meanwhile, Timon Haugan maintained his lead in the season-long World Cup slalom rankings, with McGrath’s win propelling him to a close second position. The next men’s World Cup race will take place in Italy, featuring a super-G event in Livigno, in proximity to the Olympic venue in Bormio. McGrath, despite his success in slalom, plans to engage in some cross-country skiing before the next World Cup event in Madonna di Campiglio, also in Italy.
