Bormio: Globes at stake in a Stelvio double-header

BORMIO, Italy — The winners of four World Cup globes could be officially decided Friday on the Stelvio course at Bormio, as the men prepared for the final giant slalom of the season and the women for the last slalom.
    At 7 a.m. local time, course inspection was under way under an overcast sky. The lights along the slalom course were turned on as racers sideslipped the course. The first run of women’s slalom was scheduled for 9 a.m., with the men’s GS first run to follow at 10.
    At the FIS World Cup Finals, Americans Bode Miller and Lindsey Vonn were both within a handful of points of officially clinching World Cup overall titles. Miller is 191 points ahead of Switzerland’s Didier Cuche with two events remaining and seems assured of the title since Cuche’s team has said he won’t compete in Saturday’s slalom. Vonn is 197 points ahead of Germany’s Maria Riesch, which means Riesch must win the slalom and GS and hope Vonn is shut out.
    Also for the U.S., Ted Ligety takes a 27 point lead over Benjamin Raich of Austria into Friday’s giant slalom, with Italy’s Manfred Moelgg just 11 points further back. Ligety starts third in the first run, with Raich fifth and Moelgg seventh.
    In the women’s slalom, Austrian Marlies Schild leads with 540 points, with two other skiers within striking distance: teammate Nicole Hosp (465) and Finland’s Tanja Poutiainen (452).