Alpine skiing: Kline celebrates maiden win in Kvitfjell downhill
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Slovenia’s Bostjan Kline claimed the first World Cup victory of his career on Friday when he triumphed in a men’s downhill race in Kvitfjell, Norway – a replacement race for the cancelled Lake Louise downhill last November.
The 25-year old who began his World Cup career six years ago, started fourth and carved up the fresh course with a powerful run.
He stopped the clock at 1 minute and 29.2 seconds to become the first Slovenian male to win on the World Cup circuit since Andrej Jerman in 2009.
Mathias Mayer of Austria finished second.
The 2014 Olympic downhill champion missed out on the win by a slender 0.19 seconds.
It was his second podium placing since breaking his back at last season’s Val Gardena downhill.
His other result was a first place finish in January’s Kitzbuehel super-G.
Rounding out the downhill podium was Kjetil Jansrud much to the delight of the Norwegian fans.
Jansrud’s result means he now leads the downhill standings.
He is 13 points clear of Italian Peter Fill with two races left this season. The next is the second downhill in Kvitfjell on Saturday.