Austria

SCHLADMING, Austria — Ted Ligety has joined some of skiing’s legends. And in doing so, the American catapulted himself into the sport’s biggest spotlight heading into next year’s Sochi Olympics.

By winning Friday’s giant slalom by a massive margin, Ligety became the first man in 45 years to win three gold medals at a skiing world championships — since French great Jean-Claude Killy took home four golds in 1968.

“I still don’t think I recognize what I’ve done this week,” Ligety said. “It’s just been so phenomenal to win three gold medals, especially in two events that I hadn’t won in before.”

SCHLADMING, Austria — One year from the Sochi Olympics, there’s no Lindsey Vonn or Bode Miller competing in the downhill at the world championships.

They’re out of action with injuries — Vonn crashed and will need knee surgery, while Miller is recovering from surgery — but the U.S. Ski Team still has plenty of skiers capable of winning medals.

Start with Julia Mancuso. She already won a bronze in super-G, could be a threat in Friday’s super-combined and seeks her first podium of the season in Sunday’s women’s downhill.

SCHLADMING, Austria — Lindsey Vonn crashed during the super-G Tuesday and was taken to a hospital by helicopter after apparently hurting her right knee at the world championships.

KITZBUEHEL, Austria — Right in time for the Alpine skiing world championships, Ted Ligety has regained his speed in super-G — on a hill that hasn’t suited him in the past.

The American placed sixth in Friday’s race at Kitzbuehel, Austria, to bounce back from a disappointing showing at Val Gardena, Italy, where he finished 25th last month.

In four previous starts, Ligety had never been better than 22nd in the Austrian resort. His best result came 12 days before the super-G at the world championships, the first men’s race at the event in Schladming, Austria.

ST. ANTON, Austria — Alice McKennis of the United States earned her first World Cup victory by winning a downhill Saturday, and Lindsey Vonn was sixth after returning from a nearly monthlong break.

McKennis had never finished in the top three before coming down the Karl Schranz course in 1 minute, 14.62 seconds to beat Daniela Merighetti of Italy by 0.07.

“I am overwhelmed, extremely happy and excited,” McKennis said. “It’s definitely a dream come true.”

SCHWARZENBERG, Austria — World Cup Alpine skier Bjorn Sieber of Austria died Friday after the van he was riding in swerved off a mountain road and rolled down a hill, police and the Austrian ski federation said.

The 23-year-old Sieber wasn’t on the team for Sunday’s season-opening giant slalom in Soelden, Austria, but was scheduled to be one of the skiers who test the course before a race.

VIENNA -- The grave of Adolf Hitler's parents has been dismantled because it had become a memorial site for neo-Nazis, a parish priest in the Austrian town of Leonding told the German news agency dpa on Thursday, citing a statement by a relative of the dictator.