Brennsteiner Breaks Through at 34: Wins First World Cup Title in Giant Slalom

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In a thrilling giant slalom competition at Copper Mountain, Colorado, Austrian skier Stefan Brennsteiner secured his first World Cup win at the age of 34. This historic victory came after Olympic champion Marco Odermatt failed to complete the first run, leaving Brennsteiner a significant 0.95-second lead. Brennsteiner, who has been competing in the World Cup for 14 seasons, expressed his gratitude for this long-awaited win. He had faced tough times in his career but managed to bounce back in recent years. The 34-year-old skier held the first-run lead with a margin of 0.26 seconds, which he expanded on the rougher snow conditions in the afternoon. Norwegian veteran Henrik Kristoffersen finished second, despite struggling with breathing at the high altitude of 3,000 meters. Filip Zubcic secured the third spot, one second behind the winner, after a strong second run that propelled him from 13th place. Odermatt's early exit from the competition marked his first failed attempt to complete a giant slalom event since last December. The Swiss skier lost control of his inside ski at a right-hand gate, allowing Brennsteiner to capitalize on the opportunity. Odermatt had been on a roll, winning a super-G event just a day prior to the giant slalom. Brennsteiner's previous career highlights include four World Cup podium finishes, all in giant slalom. His victory at Copper Mountain comes ahead of the women's World Cup circuit, which features record 103-time winner Mikaela Shiffrin. Shiffrin will compete in a giant slalom on Saturday and a slalom on Sunday, seeking to add to her impressive 66 wins in the event. The men's World Cup circuit will move to Beaver Creek, where a three-race program starts next Friday with a downhill, super-G, and giant slalom event.