By U.S. Ski Team

BEAVER CREEK – Reigning World Cup giant slalom champion Ted Ligety of Park City brought the Colorado crowd to their feet Sunday with a stunning Audi Birds of Prey GS victory, 0.80 over Norway’s Kjetil Jansrud. Austrian Marcel Hirscher was third.

“It’s nice to have this kind of support from the home crowd,” said a beaming Ligety, marking his third podium at Beaver Creek in the last five years. “I’ve been close a lot of years and it feels awesome to finally get it.”

With family, friends and two busloads of young racers from the Park City Ski Team in the stands, Ligety produced an incredible first run, putting him 0.36 ahead of the field. Americans Bode Miller and Warner Nickerson, both of New Hampshire, and Tim Jitloff of Reno also made the second run with Jitloff finishing 23rd, Nickerson 24th and Miller 27th after losing all his speed in a patch soft snow at the top of the course

“Conditions are the best I’ve ever seen at Beaver Creek, hands down,” said Jitloff. “I feel really comfortable here. I think we’re getting around to having five guys that are consistent in the world cup. A lot of credit goes to our coaching staff and they way we’ve prepared.”

Just minutes before the second run, Ligety was cheered on by teammate Lindsey Vonn in an impromptu phone interview with Beaver Creek race announcer and World Championships downhill medalist Doug Lewis over the Red Tail stadium speakers.

Official Results, Audi Alpine FIS World Cup, Beaver Creek, Dec. 5, Giant Slalom

1. Ted Ligety, Park City, UT, 2:37.67

2. Kjetli Jansrud, Norway, 2:38.49

3. Marcel Hirscher, Austria, 2:38.91

4. Romed Baumann, Austria, 2:38.94

5. Askel Lund Svindal, Norway, 2:39.04

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23. Tim Jitloff, Reno, NV, 2:41.13

24. Warner Nickerson, Gilford, NH, 2:41.19

27. Bode Miller, Franconia, NH, 2:46.35

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DNQ: Tommy Ford (Bend, OR), Will Gregorak (Longmont, CO), Nolan Kasper (Warren, VT)