Kjetil Jansrud crowned World Cup downhill champion after Meribel win
Last Updated: 18/03/15 10:16am
Kjetil Jansrud clinched the World Cup downhill overall title in style by winning the last race at the season-ending finals in Meribel.
Jansrud, who had already won the overall super-G title, clocked a time of one minute 40.86 seconds down the French resort's 3km Roc de Fer piste in brilliant sunshine to amass 100 points for the win which took him clear at the top of the standings on 605 points.
The 29-year-old Norwegian, who recorded a top speed of 127kph, went into the race with a slim 20-point advantage over closest rival Hannes Reichelt, but the Austrian could only finish 10th, 0.80secs off Jansrud's pace.
Completing the podium were Swiss veteran Didier Defago, the 38-year-old clocking 1:41.10 in his last World Cup race before retirement, and Austrian Georg Streitberger (+0.31).
Jansrud's victory also boosted his chances of pipping Austrian Marcel Hirscher for the most sought-after crystal globe - for the skier who tops the overall standings.
Technical specialist Hirscher, who did not make the top 25 skiers to race the downhill, currently has 1,248 points, with Jansrud now up to 1,184.
Jansrud will bid to close the gap further in Thursday's super-G, with Hirscher likely to come to the fore in the giant slalom on Saturday and the potentially title-deciding slalom on Sunday.
