ADELBODEN, Switzerland — Henrik Kristoffersen led a Norwegian 1-2 from Atle Lie McGrath in the first run of a World Cup slalom Sunday in an Olympic season that is tough to predict.
Kristoffersen, the bronze medalist in slalom at the 2014 Olympics, would be the sixth different winner in six races this season if he protects his lead in the afternoon run.
He was 0.28 seconds ahead of United States-born McGrath with breakout Finland prospect Eduard Hallberg a further one-hundredth back.
Most highest-ranked skiers got the advantage of starting in the first sunshine of the weekend at Adelboden on a minus-5 Celsius (23 Fahrenheit) day. However, the light tends to fade fast when the leaders race for a second time around 2 p.m.
Racers placed around 10th, within 0.70 of Kristoffersen, should be well positioned to attack in the second run.
World champion Loïc Meillard was 0.38 back in fifth, one spot ahead of Olympic champion Clément Noël, who won Wednesday in Italy at Madonna di Campiglio.
World Cup slalom standings leader Timon Haugan failed to finish by straddling a gate on the steep final section, with Noël poised to take advantage.
Another packed finish-area crowd at Adelboden observed a minute's silence before racing for the victims of the fatal fire in a bar in nearby Crans-Montana on New Year's Day. Crans-Montana hosts men's and women's World Cup races in three weeks.
