Kroell takes downhill World Cup title

SCHLADMING, Austria, March 14 (UPI) -- Aksel Lund Svindal claimed the ski season's final downhill race Wednesday and Klaus Kroell wrapped up the 2012 World Cup downhill title.

Svindal, from Norway, completed the run at Schladming, Austria, in 1 minute, 46.81 seconds. That was solidly ahead of Swiss skier Beat Feuz, who was second in 1:47.38 while Austria's Hannes Reichelt came in third at 1:47.48.

It was Svindal's first downhill win since he took the discipline in a March 2009 race at Are, Sweden. It joined his super-giant slalom win at Lake Louise, Canada, in November as victories this season.

Kroell was seventh in Wednesday's race but that was enough to allow him to edge Feuz for the season downhill title. Kroell had a pair of downhill wins this season and totaled 605 points in the discipline. Feuz, who also won the downhill twice in 2011-12, finished with 598 points.

Swiss skier Didier Cuche, who is retiring after this season, was third with 521 points.

The World Cup season wraps up this week. Feuz has the overall lead with 1,330 points with Austria's Marcel Hirscher second at 1,195 and Svindal, with 1,131, third.