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Brem takes women’s World Cup

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Austria’s Eva-Maria Brem competes during the first run of an alpine ski during the women’s World Cup Giant Slalom in Courchevel, France, Sunday.

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Austria’s Eva-Maria Brem reacts on the podium after winning.

COURCHEVEL, France – Austrian skier Eva-Maria Brem safely protected her lead from the first leg to win a World Cup giant slalom race Sunday, picking up her second career win and denying Swiss racer Lara Gut a third straight race victory.

Gut, who overtook American Lindsey Vonn for the overall lead, finished tied for second place with Norway’s Nina Loeseth, who secured a career-best result.

“I’d like to continue like this until March and not stop here,” Gut said after her 24th career podium and first in Courchevel. “I could have done better in the first run, the second run I was just trying not to think about the tiredness in my legs.”

It’s been hectic for Vonn and Gut in the French Alps, first in Val d’Isere and then here for the GS.

Gut won Saturday’s downhill, which Vonn failed to finish after skiing off course. She also won Friday’s super-combined, beating Vonn by one hundredth of a second.

She got the upper hand again this time.

Vonn was 10th in the morning first run but finished 13th with sunny conditions fading on the Emile-Allais course.

“It just wasn’t quite right today … It was pretty dark second run, but normally I’m good at that,” said Vonn, who picked up 20 World Cup points compared to Gut’s 80. “I just kept catching my edge doing weird stuff. I didn’t really feel very balanced. But it was a good effort; I tried really hard and got some points.”

The 31-year-old Vonn felt tired after her near-crash Saturday, and plans to have a rest far from the mountains before returning to action in another GS at the Austrian resort of Lienz Dec. 28.

“After yesterday I’m just really sore and I physically need a break,” she said. “I’m going to take a couple of days off, see my sister in Florence and get ready for Lienz.”

Brem’s other race win was also a GS in Aspen, Colorado last year.

“The first win I won because I’m a fighter and this one I won because I stayed cool,” the 27-year-old Brem said. “I think you need both. The first win is unbelievable but after this one I was crying.”

Brem had come close this season, finishing second in GS in the Swedish resort of Are last weekend and in Aspen, Colo., last month.

After raising both arms high into the air, she tumbled down and lay on her side for a few moments. When she got up, a grinning Gut rushed over to hug her.

“I’m very strong in the head,” said Brem, who has 10 career podiums. “But I just need that moment in every season when everything comes together.”

The 26-year-old Loeseth was third in slalom last weekend in the Swedish resort of Are and third in slalom in January at the Croatian resort of Zagreb.

“It’s a little strange for me that this is coming in GS but I’ll take it,” Loeseth said. “Hopefully 2016 will be even better.”

Her performance caps a great few days for Norwegian racing. On Friday, Aksel Lund Svindal won a super-G ahead of Kjetil Jansrud and Aleksander Aamodt Kilde for an “Attacking Vikings” podium sweep.

“It’s very inspiring to see how the boys are skiing,” Loeseth said. “They’re pushing so hard, I want to do the same.”

Limbacher, Oehling Norberg win ski cross World Cup races: World champion Andrea Limbacher of Austria won a thrilling ski cross race for her first World Cup victory in nearly three years, while Victor Oehling Norberg continued his recovery from injury to triumph in the men’s event.

The lead was exchanged several times in the women’s race before Limbacher took control. Kelsey Serwa of Canada edged out France’s Alizee Baron for second in one of nine photo finishes on the day.

“It’s so awesome to race here,” Limbacher said. “It’s so much fun. I’m so happy I was able to make those passes in the final and get the victory here. I was in a good battle with Kelsey and Alizee there.”

Anna Holmund of Sweden finished fourth but remained comfortable atop the standings, with a lead of nearly 150 points clear of Baron.

Olympic champion Eric Frenzel wins Nordic combined event: Olympic champion Eric Frenzel of Germany won a Nordic combined World Cup event for his 24th career victory but first of the season.

The defending World Cup champion, who hadn’t had a podium finish this season, placed sixth in the ski jumping and started the 10-kilometer cross-country race 1 minute behind leader Jarl Magnus Riiber. He overtook the Norwegian after seven kilometers.

Frenzel finished in 21 minutes, 56.5 seconds, while Riiber edged Manuel Faisst of Germany by 0.1 for second place, 10.2 behind.

For a second straight day, Riiber won the jumping portion to take a 39.0-second lead into the skiing. The 18-year-old Norwegian posted only the 46th time on the track but still earned his third career podium.

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