Battle for the slalom ball

Glorious Eight await the ninth member

Following his injury-related withdrawal from Friday's giant slalom in Aspen, Manuel Feller has given the all-clear regarding his damaged back. The focus is on Sunday's slalom - in which the Tyrolean could become the ninth Austrian in history to secure the small crystal globe. 

Manuel Feller has been wearing the red jersey of the slalom leader since Adelboden on January 7, taking it through Switzerland to Austria, then on to France, Bulgaria and the USA. "I want to prove to the whole world that I am the fastest slalom racer," smiles Feller. For which the well-deserved reward is within his grasp, his first crystal globe the confirmation of his outstanding season. "That would be huge - the sooner the better," says the Tyrolean.