Norway’s Kjetil Andre Aamodt added to his record heap of alpine Olympic medals with his second gold, winning the super-giant slalom Saturday by keeping his grip on a treacherous late-run turn that undid many of his top rivals.
The modest Norwegian came into the Games with five alpine medals, tying him with Italy’s Alberto Tomba and Vreni Schneider of Switzerland on the women’s side. Aamodt fended off a furious late charge by Bode Miller to win his strongest event, the combined, Wednesday and said he skied to a second win with a tranquil mind.
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“Everything that’s coming now is just a bonus,” said Aamodt, who finished in 1 minute 21.58 seconds, one-tenth of a second faster than event favorite Stephan Eberharter of Austria.
“The key to skiing is being relaxed and trying to find an aggressive line without doing anything stupid. … I made some good decisions today.”
A number of smart skiers skidded off the course Saturday. Of the 57 men who started the race, 21 either did not finish or were disqualified, including top super-G racers Frederik Nyberg of Sweden, Lasse Kjus of Norway and Alessandro Fattori of Italy. Most of them shuffled off after losing control on a right-hand turn after the Buffalo Jump, about one minute into the run.
Daron Rahlves of Sugar Bowl, Calif., finished eighth in 1:22.48. Merely reaching the finish line might have been considered a moral triumph for anyone, but his pre-Olympic radar readout called for more. The defending super-G world champion and top American in the speed events, Rahlves, 28, said he would leave Salt Lake City feeling unfulfilled.
“I really didn’t want to be just part of the Olympics,” he said. “I wanted to win it. The reason I’m here is to win. … I can’t believe I’m walking away. I thought [the podium] was definitely realistic.
“I wasn’t nervous, not even close compared to the downhill,” said Rahlves, who came in ninth in that race. “This course was totally unforgiving and challenging.”
One of Rahlves’ younger teammates exceeded expectations. Thomas Vonn, 26, of Newburgh, N.Y., attacked the hill and emerged ninth in 1:23.22.
“Daron’s been under a tremendous amount of pressure,” Vonn said. “He’s the poster boy. That’s a lot of weight to carry. He’s a good enough skier to be winning gold medals. I’m sure he’s bummed out about it.”
Joining the bummer club was Eberharter, who strove to be gracious in defeat. After a World Cup season in which he appeared invincible, the Austrian has had to settle for a bronze and a silver in his two strongest events and is left with only one more bite of the Olympic apple, the giant slalom Thursday.
Eberharter said his coaches could have scouted the course better, but when pressed, he responded with an edge that was apparent even in German-to-English translation.
“Let’s not overdo this,” he said. “I knew what was in store for me. We can’t rely 100 percent on what we’re being told.”
Bronze medalist Andreas Schifferer of Austria was the most lighthearted of the three, skiing, as it were, on borrowed time. Had 1998 super-G champion Hermann Maier not been injured, Schifferer might not have started this race.
But he shrugged off the implication.
“It would be like saying, if I wasn’t a man, I’d be a girl,” he said in English. Of the critical turn, Schifferer said, “Everyone underestimated it.”
Aamodt, who’ll start both the giant slalom and slalom, said he intends to continue racing.
“I still feel like I have something to prove in the World Cup,” said Aamodt, who ranked his accomplishments far below past greats such as Tomba and Ingemar Stenmark.
“That’s where you see who the best skiers are consistently.
“All sports events become history pretty fast. I just try to enjoy the moment and to win and lose with the same smile.”