Olympic champion Ted Ligety claimed his third successive giant slalom world title on Friday, using a strong second leg to deny Austrian arch-rival Marcel Hirscher again at Beaver Creek.
Ligety, a 30-year-old from Park City, Utah, charged down the Birds of Prey course to clock an aggregate time of 2min 34.16sec over two legs, finishing 0.45sec ahead of World Cup overall points leader Hirscher.
Ligety's victory saw him become the first man to win the giant slalom at three alpine skiing World Championships, following wins in 2011 and 2013.
France's Alexis Pinturault finished third with a time of 2:35.04 to take the bronze.
Hirscher is the winner of the World Cup overall title the last three seasons and has dominated the giant slalom in the World Cup this season but the Birds of Prey is not his favourite slope.
Ligety has dominated here, winning the last four World Cup giant slalom races in Beaver Creek.
Ligety won Olympic gold in Sochi, Russia, last year and now is the first man to win the world title in this event as reigning Olympic champion since Gustav Thoni in 1974.
Pinturault won the bronze at the Sochi Games behind Ligety and French compatriot Steve Missillier.
A crowded leaderboard after the first run resulted in a dramatic finish to the afternoon session as the lead changed hands three times over the final six ski racers.
Ligety topped an earlier run by Sweden's Matts Olsson then watched Hirscher's final charge fall short. Hirscher led after the first run, clocking a time of 1:15.18 for a 0.18sec lead over Italian Roberto Nani.
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