Defending champion Yule leads 1st run of Campiglio slalom

MADONNA DI CAMPIGLIO, Italy (AP) — Returning to the site of his only World Cup victory, Swiss skier Daniel Yule led the opening run of a night slalom Wednesday on the steep and icy Canalone Miramonti course.

Yule finished 0.19 seconds ahead of race favorite Henrik Kristoffersen, a two-time winner of this event.

Olympic champion Andre Myhrer stood third, 0.40 behind.

Yule started after Kristoffersen and trailed the Norwegian through each of the three checkpoints before surging ahead over the final gates once the course flattened out.

Yule won last year’s race when first-run leaders Marcel Hirscher and Kristoffersen straddled gates in the second leg.

Kristoffersen can move back atop the overall standings with a victory.

Alexis Pinturault, Kristoffersen’s chief rival for the overall trophy, stood 10th, 0.91 behind Yule.

Conditions were perfect on the floodlit course, with the snow hard and icy.