Pinheiro Braathen wins slalom to give Brazil its first Alpine skiing World Cup victory

LEVI, Finland (AP) — Lucas Pinheiro Braathen has boosted Brazil's hopes for its first ever Olympic medal in Alpine skiing after giving the country its maiden victory in a top-level ski race.

Pinheiro Braathen won the opening slalom of the World Cup season Sunday, three months to the day before the Feb. 16 men's slalom at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

He held on to his commanding first-run lead to beat 2022 Olympic champion Clement Noel of France by 0.31 seconds.

After finishing, Pinheiro Braathen clicked out of his skis, fell to his knees and screamed “yeah” with both arms in the air.

“It represents who I am, I think,” said Pinheiro Braathen, the Brazilian flag draped over his shoulders. “I am trying to do it my way, trying to ski with my heart, trying to ski for myself instead of for others.”

It was Pinheiro Braathen's sixth career victory, but first since he started to compete for Brazil last year after leaving the Norwegian ski federation.

“This road was tough, it was really a lonely road, too. But I went my own way, and I am so grateful for my family, my friends, my team for trusting and believing in me,” said Pinheiro Braathen, whose Norwegian father Bjørn was at the race.

“I am so proud, this is not just a World Cup win, this is a personal triumph. I hope I can inspire others to go their own way,” he added.

A tech specialist who debuted on the World Cup in 2018, Pinheiro Braathen won five races before clinching the season-long slalom title in 2022-23.

One of skiing’s most vibrant personalities, known for painting his fingernails and having a taste for fashion, he then fell out with the Norwegian ski federation over his personal marketing rights, took a year-long break from the sport and returned last season competing for Brazil, his mother’s native country.

The first skier for the country on Alpine skiing’s World Cup circuit since 2016, Pinheiro Braathen racked up five podium results in 22 races for Brazil before Sunday's win.

“This is a victory for myself, it's a victory for my friends, it's a victory for my family, it's for Brazil, and it's for individuality," Pinheiro Braathen said. “At the end of the day, if there are some kids out there watching, your difference is your superpower, so believe in it.”

In an interview with The Associated Press in September, Pinheiro Braathen said his first win for Brazil “will come, and it’s coming soon.”

In the first run, Pinheiro Braathen finished 0.41 seconds ahead of Noel.

“I had a good feeling. I had a plan and a strategy, and I followed that. I know when I follow my plan, I have a lot of potential,” he said.

Sharing the podium with Pinheiro Braathen and Noel was Eduard Hallberg, who finished 0.57 back in third for Finland's first World Cup top-three result since Kalle Palander won a giant slalom in Italy in December 2007.

The British ski team had two racers in the top seven.

Laurie Taylor led the race after posting the fastest second-run time but ended up in fourth and missed by four hundredths what would have been his first podium. Starting in his last season before retiring, teammate Dave Ryding was 1.16 off the lead in seventh.

Slalom World Cup winner Henrik Kristoffersen and world champion Loic Meillard finished 13rd and 14th, respectively, in the first slalom of the Olympic season.

Marco Odermatt won the season-opening giant slalom in Austria three weeks ago, but the four-time overall champion from Switzerland does not compete in slaloms.

Skiing great Marcel Hirscher, who like Pinheiro Braathen switched federations before making a comeback last year, sat out Sunday's race and postponed his return from injury until January.

After winning a record eight overall titles for Austria, Hirscher retired in 2019 but returned to the circuit for the Netherlands, his mother’s native country.