Grange wins season-opening WCup slalom in Finland

LEVI, Finland — Jean-Baptiste Grange of France held off Andre Myhrer of Sweden to win the season-opening World Cup slalom by 0.33 seconds.

The 2009 World Cup slalom champion navigated the Levi Black course in a combined time of 1 minute, 46.64 seconds Sunday, when Bode Miller was among the 30 racers who skied out in the first run.

Ted Ligety was the top American, finishing 18th in 1:49.89. Will Brandenburg of the U.S. was eighth after the first run but skied out in the second leg. Miller went off the course on a difficult section just before a steep part of the hill.

Grange led after the first run and had the second-best time behind Myhrer in the second. Myhrer climbed from fourth to second, with Ivica Kostelic of Croatia nearly a full second back in third.