Slalom master Kristoffersen secures 30th World Cup victory

Norwegian Henrik Kristoffersen posted his second victory of the season and the 30th of his career winning the men's World Cup slalom at Wengen on Sunday in very challenging conditions.

The 28-year-old's combined time over two legs was 20 hundredths quicker than Swiss racer Loic Meillard -- who had been fastest in the first leg -- with his fellow Norwegian Lucas Braathen third, 49 hundredths adrift.

Kristoffersen let out a loud roar even before Meillard had begun his second leg -- his confidence borne out as the Swiss skier fell short of recording his first ever win and having to make do with his fourth top three finish of the campaign.

Kristoffersen's victory came on a course in a bad state due to the recent warm temperatures and it became a veritable battle against the elements when heavy snow fell on the second leg.

Admirably consistent it was Kristoffersen's seventh top three finish of the campaign -- his previous win came at Garmisch a fortnight ago.

Kristoffersen -- whose tally of 30 World Cup wins is second only to Frenchman Alexis Pinturault in terms of active male skiers -- tops the slalom standings, 10 points ahead of 22-year-old Braathen.

The overall World Cup standings were unaffected as neither the leader Switzerland's Marco Odermatt nor second-placed Aleksander Aamodt Kilde -- who trails by 340 points -- competed in the slalom.