Skiing Roundup : Stenmark 86s Girardelli to Win Giant Slalom

For Ingemar Stenmark, this never was just a farewell tour.

Stenmark, whose 86 World Cup victories are the most in history by far, ended a two-year victory drought, overtaking Marc Girardelli to win a men’s World Cup giant slalom Sunday at Aspen, Colo.

“It means a lot to me because this is my last year of racing,� Stenmark said. “If I wouldn’t have won, people would have said I was 10th or 15th the last year and wasn’t a good skier. Now I think I’ve proven I can still ski well. It’s mostly for myself, this good feeling, because I know I can still ski well.

“In every sport, you have to be up-to-date--not think about, well, he was good 10 years ago. Skiing means getting better and better.�

In his final race in North America as he caps an illustrious 16-year career, the 32-year-old Swede found new life in his old legs.

Stenmark used a blistering second run to overcome Girardelli, who is second to Stenmark in men’s World Cup victories with 27.

Trailing Girardelli by 21-hundredths of a second after the first run, Stenmark was 33-hundredths faster than the Luxembourg star on the second run.

Stenmark, who will retire after races in Japan next month, had an aggregate time of 2 minutes 16.40 seconds. Girardelli, further lengthening his lead in the World Cup overall standings, was second in 2:16.52. Lars-Boerje Eriksson of Sweden, who won Saturday’s super giant slalom, was third in 2:17.67.

Kyle Wieche, 21, of Farmington, Conn., continuing his fine late-season racing, was seventh in 2:18.76.

Michela Figini of Switzerland won her third straight World Cup downhill championship by completing a weekend sweep of the Husky double downhill at Lake Louise, Fla.

Figini, 22, held off the challenge of teammate Maria Walliser for the second straight day and for the fifth time in seven downhill races this season.

Figini finished in 1 minute 41.58 seconds, Walliser in 1:41.82 and Michaela Gerg of West Germany was third in 1:42.44. That was the same order of Saturday’s downhill.

“This is great,� Figini said after winning consecutive downhills for the second time this season. “After the World Championships, it’s great to be first again.�

She finished far back in the recent World Championships at Vail, Colo.

Karen Percy of Canada and Chantal Bournissen of Switzerland tied for fourth at 1:42.77.