Ted Ligety brings gold to USA in giant slalom skiing

American Ted Ligety turned a relaxing mountain descent into a white-knuckle ride to gold when he held off two charging Frenchmen to claim the Olympic giant slalom skiing title.

Ligety is the first American man to win two Alpine skiing golds following his super combined title in Turin in 2006.



When Ligety slid sidewards, almost to a standstill at one devilish part of the rutted and bumpy course, the gold seemed in danger of slipping through his fingers, but Ligety regained his rhythm to seal gold, 0.48 seconds ahead of silver medalist Steve Missillier and 0.64 in front of Alexis Pinturault, who took bronze.