BEAVER CREEK, Colo. (AP) — Aleksander Aamodt Kilde of Norway won a World Cup super-G race Friday less than a year after tearing a ligament in his right knee.
Kilde finished a tricky and technical Birds of Prey course in 1 minute, 10.26 seconds to edge Marco Odermatt — the super-G winner the day before — by a scant 0.03 seconds. American Travis Ganong wound up third with a fast early run — he was second to go — that held up to earn his first World Cup super-G podium finish.
The 29-year-old Kilde joins Bjarne Solbakken (2003) and Aksel Lund Svindal (2008) as the only Norwegian racers to capture a World Cup super-G event in Beaver Creek.
This was Kilde's third race back since tearing his ACL during a crash last January. He said this victory validates that he’s on the right path with the Beijing Olympics two months away.
“Amazing feeling,” said Kilde, who is dating U.S. skiing star Mikaela Shiffrin. “Just incredible.”
Kilde added this was a “bittersweet day” with teammate and good friend Kjetil Jansrud hurting his shoulder and knee when he slid into the fencing after falling. Jansrud was able to ski down the hill and congratulate Kilde before leaving the venue.
“Hopefully, he’s doing OK, but we’ll see," Kilde said. "He’s a very good friend of mine, and I support him in anything.”
Ganong became the first American to earn a spot on a super-G podium at Beaver Creek since retired racer Ted Ligety in 2015. Ligety was part of the broadcast team for the race Friday.
There will be a pair of downhill races on the Birds of Prey course Saturday and Sunday.
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