Aleksander Aamodt Kilde edges out Beat Feuz to win World Cup downhill title after final race in Courchevel

Updated 16/03/2022 at 12:19 GMT

Norway's Aleksander Aamodt Kilde landed the men's World Cup downhill title after the final race in Courchevel on Wednesday, despite admitting the day had been a "nerve-wracking" experience. Kilde had been in a battle with Beijing Olympic champion Beat Feuz for the season-long crown, and did enough to take overall victory even though he finished behind the Swiss in the Courchevel race.

'What a season!' Kilde claims World Cup downhill title

Aleksander Aamodt Kilde came out on top in his battle with Beat Feuz to take the World Cup downhill title following the final race in Courchevel.

Kilde finished fourth - behind third-placed Feuz - in Wednesday's event, but it was enough to secure victory in the prestigious, season-long event.

Austria's Vincent Kriechmayr was fastest on the day in the French Alps to take the win from Switzerland's Marco Odermatt, who took home his first overall World Cup title.

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Talking afterwards, Norwegian Kilde said: "It's incredible.

"It was so nerve-wracking waking up until the race was over. I've never experienced anything like it.

"Also during my run I had some mistakes and it was a really close call, but overall I'm super happy with how it went.

"Taking the super-G and downhill globes - I would never [have] imagined it.

"I'm just so happy and thankful for all the support I've got.

"What a great season and great fight with Beat. It was really close until the end - that's how it should be and it was so fun.

"I said to myself before the season started that this year I wanted to win a lot of races - seven it is, and I'm really happy with that."

Feuz had been aiming for a record-equalling fifth consecutive downhill crown, but though he skied an error-free run, it wasn't enough to claw back the deficit he had to Kilde, who ended 13 points ahead of his rival.

It is the second trophy of a fine season for Kilde, who also secured the super-G overall title.

The slalom event on Sunday in Courchevel brings the season to an end.