Hirscher grabs early slalom lead at Worlds

Beaver Creek (United States) (AFP) - World Cup overall leader Marcel Hirscher posted the fastest time in the first leg of the World Championship slalom race on Sunday, finishing ahead of Russian Alexander Khoroshilov and Sweden's Andre Myhrer.

Skiing first out of the gate, the defending champion, 25, from Austria, clocked a time of 1min 03.38sec in chilly overcast conditions on the icy Birds of Prey course in Colorado.

Khoroshilov, 30, who won his first World Cup race in the final event leading into the Beaver Creek-hosted championships, clocked the second fastest time, 0.28 back of 2014 Olympic silver medallist Hirscher with Myhrer third and 0.66sec adrift.

"I am happy with my run," said Khoroshilov whose best finish at a world championships was 12th in 2009.

"I will try to do my best in the second run. It is a difficult slalom. We are at a high altitude and it is a long course."

Sweden's Mattias Hargin was fourth in 1:04.23 while 2011 world champion Jean-Baptiste Grange of France rounded out the top five with a time of 1:04.26.

Skiers were greeted Sunday with clouds and much cooler weather than the sun-splashed courses of the past week. Those that had later start times in the field of 100 had to embark on their runs in light snowfall.

Weather forecasters are predicting more snow in the afternoon for the second leg of the slalom which begins at 2:15pm local time (2115 GMT).