Edalini chalks up Cup ski-ing win

Press, 18 December 1986, Page 28

Edalini chalks up Cup ski-ing win

NZPA-Reuter Madonna Di Campiglio, Italy

Ivano Edalini became the first Italian for nearly eight years to win a men’s alpine ski World Cup slalom.

Edalini skied two fast runs at Madonna Di Campiglio to clock a total time of Imin 45.79 s and score his first cup victory. The veteran, Ingemar Stenmark, of Sweden, whose run of 84 cup wins began on the Miramonti course 12 years ago, was second in 1:45.98. Switzerland’s Joel Gaspoz finished third. Edalini’s win, after the Italian clean sweep in a giant slalom at La Villa earlier this week, confirmed the team as the new force in the technical events.

Yesterday’s race, held under a clear sky, belonged to those who could stay the steep course for the two legs. Favourite after favourite skidded out and only 29 of the 84 starters made it to the finish line and into the second leg. The Olympic downhill champion, Bill Johnson, of the United States, will be unable to ski for six to eight months after a training; accident last week, team officials said.

The United States ski-team spokesman, Sandy Caligiore, said that Johnson, aged 26, had had a operation on his knee in California on Monday. Johnson crash-landed after flying out of control during training in Italy last Friday.