Taylor fourth as GB make their best World Cup start

Great Britain’s Laurie Taylor claimed a career-best fourth-place finish in the opening men’s slalom event of the World Cup season in Levi as the British team produced their best combined performance in the event’s history.

Taylor, 29, led for the majority of the second run in Finland before narrowly missing out on a first podium place, while veteran Dave Ryding was seventh as GB achieved two top-10 finishers in a World Cup event for only the second time.

The opening men’s slalom race of the season was won by Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, who took the sixth World Cup victory of his career and first representing Brazil, following his switch from Norway in 2024.

Taylor was 15th after the first run but put pressure on the leaders with the fastest second run, finishing in a total time of one minute 51.33 seconds – 0.31 seconds behind Pinheiro Braathen, who was fastest in the first leg.

France’s Noel Clement was second while Finland’s Eduard Hallberg claimed a first podium of his career, pipping Taylor to third place by just 0.04 seconds.

“It felt amazing, I had no idea that was where I was going to end up,” Taylor told BBC Sport .

“The run felt solid and in charge. I just kept climbing [in the standings] it was quite surreal. It’s a huge confidence boost for the rest of the season.

“I’ve been working so hard for so long, so to break in like that to fourth, it really means the world.”

Reflecting on the team’s performance overall, GB men’s slalom coach Jai Geyer said: “What a day.

“That’s the best start to the season we’ve had as a team, with something we’ve never done before here – two in the top seven – so we’re all pumped, great for the team. What a solid start.”

It was a remarkable step forward in Taylor’s career, his previous best World Cup finish was eighth in Aspen in March 2024.

Former World Cup slalom winner Ryding, 38, also finished seventh in that race – the only other time the British team had two top-10 finishers in a World Cup event.

Levi also marked the first time the British team had entered four skiers in a World Cup race, with Billy Major (27th) and Luca Carrick-Smith (DNF) also competing.

The race also marked the first World Cup win for Brazil.