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Alain Baxter showed a typically gritty performance yesterday to
come back from 30th place on the first run - the last possible qualifying
spot - to finish in 12th place in St
Anton, Austria.
 Noel
beats brother Alain
While the Scot made his second best result of the season
- after his 11th in Madonna - and the seventh best World Cup result
of his career, brother Noel, 22, made his best ever qualification
in 27th to better Alain for the first time on the World Cup tour.
Baxter skied a strong mid section on the Sonnenwiese
course and came back from a slight early deficit to look to be firmly
in contention for a top 15 when he made a big mistake just six gates
from the finish line which cost him dearly. He was left to watch
and ponder but was grateful to hold on to 30th.
Second fastest in second run
Opening the second run he proved conclusively that he can seize
the opportunity when it is presented as he set a blistering time
of 46.80 seconds which stood as the fastest second run time until
Austria's Kurt Engl bettered it.
His second fastest second heat left him 1.63 seconds
behind Bode Miller (USA), who won a World Cup slalom for the first
time this season.
"I don't really feel the pressure because I know you're either
in or your out. It's a simple as that and you just have to give
it everything. I was happy with most of my first run and felt I
was carving my turns better than I have been, but the mistake cost
me." Baxter said.
"I knew I needed a set of good results to get
to the World Cup Finals and this will help, but it needs to be better
still in two weeks in Kranskja Gora." Baxter heads off to do
some FIS Giant Slalom races before Slovenia, where the pressure
is on to get a top 30 finish and keep his FIS points high.
No points for Noel Baxter
Racing fourth down the second run Noel showed flashes of brilliance
and was fourth quickest on the top section and looked to be set
for his second World Cup points of the season, but his inside ski
bounced across him and he fell out of the course on the steep. Believing
he still could make the points he climbed back into the track but
finished too far adrift to be given the points for his 27th place
finish.
Gillings 7th in Junior World Champs
Britain's Zoe Gillings (18, Isle of Man) took seventh place
on Saturday in the FIS World Junior Snowboarding Championships Snowboardcross
event.
Results: Audi FIS Ski World Cup, Slalom 9,
St Anton, Austria:
1 B Miller (USA) 47.52 47.06, 1:34.60
2 K Pallander (Fin) 48.08, 47.47 1:35.55
3 M Matt (Aut) 48.82 46.87 1:35.69.
4 R Schoenfelder (Aut) 48.09 47.64 1:35.73
5 K Engl (Aut) 49.04 46.72 1:35.76
GBR: 12 A Baxter (Aviemore/The British Land Alpine Ski Team) 49.63
46.80 1:36.23,
27 N Baxter (Aviemore/The British Land Alpine Ski Team) 49.30 59.37
1:48.67
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