KRANJSKA GORA, Slovenia — A course set by his own coach and soft snow helped Ted Ligety become the first American to win a race on the men’s World Cup circuit this season.
The 24-year-old Ligety won a giant slalom Saturday for his fourth career victory. He finished in a two-run combined time of 2 minutes, 19.92 seconds to beat Didier Cuche of Switzerland by 0.19 seconds and Massimiliano Blardone of Italy by 0.34.
Ligety, the defending GS champion, had a near-flawless second run on the Podkoren course, which was set by U.S. head coach Sasha Rearick.
“It’s a fantastic hill, I like it here,” said Ligety, who also won in Kranjska Gora last year and whose four victories all came in GS.
• Gregor Staehli of Switzerland won the men’s competition at the skeleton world championships in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Staehli finished the three heats in 2 minutes, 46.58 seconds to beat Adam Pengilly of Britain by 0.35 seconds. World Cup champion Alexander Tretiakov of Russia won the bronze.
• In Lake Placid, N.Y., Steven Holcomb-led USA-1 laid down a pair of solid runs to take the lead at the four-man bobsled world championships.
Marquez knocks out Diaz
HOUSTON — Juan Manuel Mar- quez stamped himself as the world’s top lightweight with a ninth-round knockout of Juan Diaz (34-2) in a thrilling title unification fight at the Toyota Center.
Marquez (50-4-1, 37 KOs) won the vacant WBA and WBO lightweight belts, plus Diaz’s minor IBO title.
Injured Durant day to day
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant has a sprained ankle and is listed as day- to-day. The forward hurt his right foot during Friday night’s loss to Dallas.
• Utah Jazz owner Larry H. Miller received a fitting farewell. His funeral was held in the arena he built in Salt Lake City, his casket painted in the scheme of his beloved Shelby Cobras, and his five children each driving a sports car in the procession to the cemetery where Miller was laid to rest.
• Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng left Saturday’s game against the Houston Rockets with a likely stress fracture in his right tibia.
• The Miami Heat will retire Alonzo Mourning‘s No. 33 in a halftime ceremony March 30.
Footnotes.
Minnesota Wild forward Derek Boogaard was suspended five games without pay by the NHL for elbowing Calgary’s Brandon Prust in the head Friday.
• Amy Acuff won the women’s high jump at the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships. Acuff soared 6 feet, 2.75 inches on her last jump to best Deirdre Mullen by 2 inches in Boston.
• The Pamplemousse romped to a six-length win in the $200,000 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.
• Quality Road took off at the top of the stretch and won the Grade 2, $250,000 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla.
