Haaser Wins Giant Slalom at Alpine Worlds

Austrian skier Raphael Haaser clinched gold in the men's giant slalom at the Alpine Skiing World Championships in Saalbach, Austria. Haaser, who was fifth after the first run, delivered an exceptional second run to surpass the Swiss competitors, winning by 0.23 seconds over Thomas Tumler, with Loic Meillard securing bronze. This victory marks Haaser's first top-level win and breaks Switzerland's dominance, as they had won all previous men's events. Marco Odermatt, the defending world champion, finished in fourth place, failing to reach the podium. Haaser's win adds to Austria's success on home soil following Stephanie Venier's gold in the women's super-G. The championships continue with the women's slalom event, featuring Mikaela Shiffrin.