Hirscher wins super-combined at Worlds

Austria's Marcel Hirscher claimed his second world ski title, winning the super combined after posting a blistering slalom run from the number one starting position to seal the victory.
The 23-year-old Hirscher grabbed the gold at the Beaver Creek World Alpine Championships by charging out the gate first, then watching the rest of the 44-strong field fail to catch him, including silver medallist Kjetil Jansrud of Norway.
"It is unbelievable," said Hirscher, who won the slalom crown at the 2013 World Championships in Austria.
"You have to push as hard as you can and take chances, and if you don't it is your fault, and I took chances."
The super-combined is a downhill and one run of slalom, with both portions taking place on the same day. Hirscher won Sunday by posting the top aggregate time over the downhill and slalom.
Hirscher registered the 31st-fastest time in the opening downhill leg, but then finished with a stellar slalom run, topping Jansrud and defending world combined champion Ted Ligety of the United States.
"My plan for this championship was to catch one medal. It didn't matter which color. I reached my goal and everything that happens now is super good," Hirscher said.
It marked the first career World Championship medal for Jansrud, who finished just off the podium in fourth earlier this week in the super-G.
- Superb slalom run -
"I am exceptionally happy with the silver in combined," said Jansrud, who put down a flawless slalom run. "It was just a battle of wills and trying to let it go.
"It is a great feeling to leave here with a medal.
"Coming into this championship everybody expected me to grab gold. It is going to be way better getting on that airplane to go home with a medal."
Hirscher charged out the gate first and his time of two mins 36.10 secs in slalom was challenged immediately by number two starter Ligety, who finished with a total time of 2:36.40.
Starting 30th, Jansrud was skiing with an injured shoulder after he jammed it on a race gate earlier in the week. Jansrud charged down the slalom track to post an aggregate time of 2:36.29, 0.19 seconds behind Hirscher.
Ligety, who won both the super-G and combined at the 2013 Worlds, said the conditions for the slalom were better for the early starters.
"The course got rutty, really hot and soft," said Ligety, estimating that a late start time in the slalom leg cost most of the competitors over a second on the clock.
Ligety said he takes more pleasure in his World Cup wins that he has achieved in Beaver Creek than Sunday's combined bronze.
"I am more proud of my (giant slalom) wins here the last years. This is the only time in my career I will get a (world) championships or Olympics on my home soil so that is cool," he said.
Czech skier Ondrej Bank suffered facial cuts and a concussion in a high-speed crash near the finish line of the downhill leg.
Bank was hospitalized but was alert and "answering questions in a logical manner," event spokesman John Dakin said.
Bank was the bronze medallist two weeks ago in the World Cup combined in Kitzbuehel, Austria.
He appeared to lose his ski grip in the shadows immediately before the spectacular Red Tail jump, which leads the racers into a flying finish.
Bank went down just before the jump, hitting the safety netting on the side of Red Tail before sliding down the hill and eventually crossing the finish in a heap without his skis.
Source: AFP