16.02 Jansrud Wins Men’s Super G as Miller Claims Bronze

ROSA KHUTOR, Russia, February 16 (R-Sport) – Norway’s Kjetil Jansrud defeated a tough Rosa Khutor course to become men’s Olympic super G champion Sunday, while U.S. veteran Bode Miller claimed one of two bronze medals.

Jansrud, who has been on strong form throughout the Sochi Olympics, dominated on the winding course to win by 0.30 seconds from Andrew Weinbrecht of the U.S., the  2010 bronze medalist in super G.

The bronze medal was shared as the 36-year-old Miller and Canadian skier Jan Hudec both finished 0.53 seconds off Jansrud’s time. It is the second time in Sochi that a medal has been shared after Tina Maze and Dominique Gisin split the gold in the women’s downhill.

Speaking after his run, Miller was skeptical of his medal chances.

"I don't know. I don't think so," he said. "I made mistakes and the snow is really difficult. It just peels away from you."

Norwegian star Aksel Lund Svindal, the 2010 Olympic super G champion, once again missed a medal in Sochi, this time by just 0.09 seconds as he continued a run of almost-but-not-quite performances at the Games.

Asked if his countryman Jansrud's success would soften the blow of missing the medals again, Svindal said: "Almost, but not completely - it's an individual sport." Svindal still retains medal chances in Wednesday's giant slalom, in which he won Olympic bronze four years ago.

While the race had nothing like the 36 percent attrition rate of the women's super G on Saturday, which was won by Austria's Anna Fenninger, there were some notable non-finishers.

Italy's Christof Innerhofer failed to add to his two-medal haul from Sochi as he slid off the course, while downhill gold medalists Didier Defago and Matthias Mayer also proved unable to reach the finish line.

"I thought I could make up a lot of time in that turn at the top, but my plan backfired because it's steep and slippery," Innerhofer said.

The men’s super G started an hour earlier in the morning than previously scheduled, to cushion the effect of warm temperatures that have softened the snow.

The results are provisional while a group of low-ranked skiers completes the course.