A bus rides over the lowest-rated bridge in Richmond County, the Spring Creek Bridge on Willis Forman Road in Augusta. The bridge is rated 10.3 out of a possible 100. 12/19/97 Steven Schretzmann photo METRO

Mayer's risk-taking run earns giant slalom title

Web posted December 22, 1997

Associated Press

ALTA BADIA, Italy -- Christian Mayer's four-year victory drought finally ended Sunday.

Mayer had to battle a damaged, tricky course, beat a world champion and fight off the strongest team on the men's World Cup ski circuit -- his Austrian teammates -- to win a giant slalom race.

Mayer clocked the fastest time in the first run, then took risks in the second, down the steep Gran Risa course, to earn his second World Cup victory. His only previous triumph was in a giant slalom at Val D'Isere in 1993.

The winner beat world giant slalom champion Michael von Gruenigen of Switzerland by .43 seconds in leading an impressive showing by Austrians, who took seven of the top eight places.

The Austrians also swept the five top places in a World Cup downhill at Beaver Creek last month.

Mayer was the last of 30 second-run starters -- in reverse order of the first-heat finishers -- and competed on a course filled with bumps, holes and soft snow.

He nearly missed a gate in the upper part of the course, did some acrobatics to make the next part and completed the race in the combined time of 2 minutes, 20.97 seconds.

``I risked everything,'' he said. ``I knew I could go out, but I still pushed hard. I'm happy, happy, happy.''

Mayer had to go through qualifying trials last fall to get a place on the Austrian giant slalom team. New skis helped him go faster this season, he said.

Fifth and seventh in the previous giant slaloms at Park City and Val D'Isere, Mayer was delighted with his victory at one of his favorite tracks.

``This is where I debuted in the World Cup seven years ago, and where I placed third twice in 1993-94,'' he said.

Von Gruenigen, who had two wins in the three previous giant slaloms, placed second in 2:21.40.

``The course was damaged in the second run, especially in the bottom,'' he said. ``But it was the same for all the top competitors, thus we can't blame organizers who did their best to stage this race.''

Von Gruenigen retained the lead in the giant slalom standings, with 280 points.

Austrian Hermann Maier placed third at 2:21.63 and strengthened his lead in the overall Cup standings with 489 points after 10 races.

Maier raced with a homemade bib when the one issued him was stolen between runs.