Alpine skiing-Feller a winner on home snow in Kitzbuehel slalom

KITZBUEHEL, Austria, Jan 25 : Austrian Manuel Feller won his home Kitzbuehel slalom on Sunday for his first World Cup podium appearance of the Alpine ski season.

The 33-year-old beat Switzerland's Loic Meillard, leader after the first leg, by 0.35 seconds over the two runs after being fourth fastest initially. It was his seventh career World Cup victory.

Germany's Linus Strasser finished third to complete the podium.

Norwegian-born Brazilian Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, who was only 11th after the first run but then skied second fastest in the decisive one, was fourth.

Pinheiro Braathen leads the slalom standings by 26 points from France's Clement Noel, with Norway's Atle Lie McGrath dropping to third after failing to finish the first leg of Sunday's race.

The men have one more slalom in Schladming before next month's Milano Cortina Olympics.