Svindal wins men's downhill gold

• Tweet

SCHLADMING, Austria, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- World Cup points leader Aksel Lund Svindal added a gold medal to his spectacular season Saturday, winning the downhill at the Alpine world championships.

The Norwegian veteran barreled down the mountainside at Schladming, Austria, in 2 minutes, 01.32 seconds to grab the gold medal by 0.46 seconds over Italy's Dominik Paris.

David Poisson of France was third, 0.97 seconds behind Svindal. Klaus Kroell of Austria took fourth and Andrew Weibracht, the top U.S. finisher, came in 22nd with a 2:04.57.

Weibracht said the lighting and the condition of the course were challenging.

"There was definitely more chop today," he said."The snow started out pretty soft and got harder as the week went on. It was one of the rougher courses we've skied."