Austrian Brennsteiner's Triumph in Giant Slalom Shakes World Cup

Austrian skier Stefan Brennsteiner clinched his first World Cup victory by winning the men's giant slalom at Copper Mountain. Despite competitor Marco Odermatt's exit, Brennsteiner maintained his lead to top the podium, followed by Henrik Kristoffersen and Filip Zubcic. The win marks a milestone in Brennsteiner's skiing career.

Stefan Brennsteiner of Austria captured his maiden World Cup win at Copper Mountain, outpacing his rivals in the men's giant slalom event. The 34-year-old skier leveraged his commanding first-run lead to fend off Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen by 0.95 seconds.

Kristoffersen, a two-time Olympic medallist, had been in contention for the top spot after a formidable run, ultimately placing second. Croatia's Filip Zubcic thrilled spectators by climbing ten spots to finish third.

The event took an unexpected turn when Swiss champion Marco Odermatt, a giant slalom favorite, crashed out in the first run. Odermatt's exit highlighted the challenging course as the World Cup circuit heads to Beaver Creek.

(With inputs from agencies.)