In brief: Italy takes top two spots in giant slalom

Massimiliano Blardone led Italy’s 1-2 finish in a giant slalom Saturday at Bad Kleinkirchheim, Austria, while Ted Ligety of the United States finished third as the World Cup returned to Europe after a series of races in North America.

Blardone was third after the opening leg but delivered a solid second run to complete the Franz Klammer course in 2 minutes, 10.75 seconds for his fourth career victory in the event.

The new overall leader, Daniel Albrecht of Switzerland, finished fifth. He’s 12 points ahead of 2006 overall champion Benjamin Raich of Austria. Raich was fourth, 0.03 seconds behind Ligety.

“Steve Holcomb won another World Cup bobsled race in his hometown of Park City, Utah, topping the four-man competition a day after winning the two-man event.

In similar fashion to his finish Friday, Holcomb had to make up time in the second final heat. Holcomb trailed three-time World Cup champion German’s Andre Lange by 0.01 seconds entering the final run on the Utah Olympic Park track.

Holcomb was able to make up ground and win the race with a two-run time of 1:35.05, 0.09 seconds ahead of Lange.

“Bill Demong of the United States captured a World Cup Nordic combined event in Trondheim, Norway, outsprinting Bjorn Kircheisen of Germany at the finish to win by 0.7 seconds.

Demong covered the 15-kilometer ski race in 38 minutes, 54.9 seconds and finished eighth in the morning ski jump. It was his third World Cup victory and fifth top-three finish.

World Cup leader Ronny Ackermann of Germany finished third, 8.5 seconds behind Demong.

“Canada’s Britt Janyk won her first World Cup title in a downhill in which about half the field was unable to complete the race at Aspen, Colo.

Janyk covered the Ruthie’s Run course in 1 minute, 14.17 seconds. Marlies Schild, the World Cup points leader, was at 1:14.59 and Renate Goetschl at 1:14.63.

Only 30 of the 56 skiers finished. Race officials called off the race before 19 skiers were able to ski the course because of fog and poor visibility. Four other skiers chose not to start.

Boxing

Abraham retains middleweight title

Undefeated Arthur Abraham stopped Wayne Elcock in the fifth round to retain his IBF middleweight title in Basel, Switzerland.

The Armenia-born German knocked down Elcock in the second round and then again in the fifth. The referee stopped the fight after Abraham landed a flurry of punches to the Englishman’s head.

Abraham, 25-0 with 20 knockouts, has been eyeing a unification bout against either Jermain Taylor or Kelly Pavlik next year in the United States.

The 27-year-old Abraham’s only scare came in the third round, when an accidental head-butt opened up a cut above his right eye. But Elcock (18-3) was unable to take advantage.

An undercard bout between heavyweights Danny Williams and Oleg Platov ended in a no-contest after a deep cut above Platov’s left eye caused the fight to be stopped in the fourth round.

Williams was denied the victory because the cut was ruled to have been caused by an accidental head-butt in the second round.

“Brahim Asloum won the WBA light flyweight championship in Le Cannet, France, with a unanimous decision over defending champion Juan Carlos Reveco of Argentina.

Asloum, a gold medalist at the 2000 Sydney Games, became the first Frenchman to win Olympic and professional world titles. He won by scores of 116-113, 116-112 and 115-113 in the 108-pound bout. Reveco was unbeaten in 17 previous bouts.

Miscellany

Sunriver wins Turf Cup at Hollywood Park

Sunriver sprinted away on the turn for home and won the $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup by 2 3/4 lengths at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif.

In the $111,800 Native Diver Handicap, 30-1 shot Heatseeker gave trainer Jerry Hollendorfer his 4,994th career victory.