In brief: Raich wins slalom; Miller fails to finish
Olympic champion Benjamin Raich of Austria rediscovered his winning touch, capturing a World Cup giant slalom for the first time this season Saturday in Adelboden, Switzerland.
For Bode Miller, it was more of the same – he failed to finish.
Miller, a contender this season in the overall standings, appeared to misjudge the slope. He dropped onto his side and veered off the course.
American Ted Ligety finished 17th.
“Nicole Hosp of Austria took advantage of falls from her top rivals to win a women’s World Cup giant slalom and her first title of the season in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia.
American Libby Ludlow finished 14th.
“Peetu Piiroinen of Finland won his first World Cup snowboarding title, beating Hubert Fill of Austria in the final of a Big Air event in Graz, Austria.
“Norway’s Kjetil Andre Aamodt retired, ending a brilliant career in which he won the most Olympic and world championship medals in skiing history.
Aamodt announced his retirement on national television while accepting a Norwegian award as the best male athlete of 2006.
“French Olympic bronze medalist Sandra Laoura had emergency spinal surgery after injuring her back during training in Ste-Adele, Quebec, for this weekend’s freestyle skiing World Cup event.
“Road race ace Boris Said, whose late father, Bob, drove in the 1968 and 1972 Winter Olympics for the U.S. bobsled team, won both races in the Chevrolet Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge on the Olympic track at Mount Van Hoevenberg in Lake Placid, N.Y..
The Bobsled Challenge features race car drivers on ice. It’s an effort to raise funds to keep the U.S. men’s and women’s bobsled teams at the forefront of international racing.
Tennis
Clijsters wins
Belgium’s Kim Clijsters kicked off her final season the best way she could, beating Maria Sharapova 6-3, 7-6 (8) in the final of the Champions Challenge in Hong Kong.
“Top-seeded Rafael Nadal lost to Xavier Malisse 6-4, 7-6 (4) in the semifinals of the Chennai Open in Chennai, India.
Boxing
Peter triumphant
Samuel Peter beat James Toney for the second time in three months, getting a unanimous decision in a WBC heavyweight elimination bout in Hollywood, Fla., and perhaps the chance to fight Oleg Maskaev for a championship.
Peter was ahead on two cards by scores of 118-110; he led the other card 119-108.
Also, Travis Simms, whose WBA super welterweight belt was stripped because he never defended it, stopped Jose Antonio Rivera in the ninth round to reclaim the title.
“Yvon Durelle, a former British Empire boxing champion whose 1958 fight against boxing great Archie Moore made him a Canadian star, died Saturday in Moncton, New Brunswick. He was 77.
Miscellany
West routs East
Southern California recruit Chris Gallipo became the first defensive player to earn MVP honors in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl high school football game, making seven tackles in the West’s 24-7 win over the East in San Antonio.
“Speaking at the opening of the NCAA’s annual convention in Orlanda, Fla., NCAA president Myles Brand asked member schools to offer more opportunities to minorities when hiring coaches and administrators and wants them to do a better job educating athletes about sportsmanship. The convention ends Monday.