SKIING: Thorsen lifted for home run

JAN EINAR THORSEN yesterday continued the Norwegians' impressive run-up to the Winter Olympics by winning his first World Cup giant slalom after the race had been moved to Crans Montana from Adelboden, Switzerland, because of poor conditions. Norwegian men have now won four of the seven Alpine events held in the last 10 days.

Thorsen's victory, in 2min 32.83sec, followed successes by Finn Christian Jagge in the slalom, Kjetil-Andre Aamodt in the giant and Lasse Kjus in the combined.

Rainer Salzgeber, the Austrian who held a 0.10sec lead over Thorsen after the first leg, lost the chance of winning his first World Cup race when he made a mistake on the second and finished third to Mitja Kunc, of Slovenia. Aamodt held on to the overall and giant slalom World Cup lead with fifth place.