Für unsere Gäste » the added responsibilities.BBilly and Adam O

VAL DISERE, France -- Mathieu Faivre led a fierce French challenge on first-run leader Marcel Hirscher of Austria to win a giant slalom Sunday for his first World Cup victory.Faivre secured the fastest second run to beat Hirscher, the five-time defending World Cup overall winner and a Val dIsere specialist, by 0.49 seconds.France placed four racers in the top five, roared on by a noisy crowd that sang the French anthem -- La Marseillaise -- when an emotional Faivre stood on the top step of the podium.Faivre had 0.01 seconds to make up from the first leg, and the 24-year-old racers debut victory denied Hirscher a fifth GS win on this course since 2009.France team leader Alexis Pinturault was third, 1.11 behind the winner. Teammates Thomas Fanara and Victor Muffat-Jeandet placed fourth and fifth.Hirscher has now lost to two Frenchmen in defense of his seasonlong giant slalom trophy after being runner-up to Pinturault in the season-opening race at Soelden, Austria.Faivre, a former world junior champion, has had three podium finishes in World Cup giant slalom in 2016, and Pinturault was alongside him each time.In what has become the France teams top event, its streak of placing at least one racer in the top three of mens giant slalom now extends to 14 World Cup races since March 2015.France got its only Alpine skiing medals at the 2014 Sochi Winter Games in mens GS, when Steve Missillier and Pinturault took silver and bronze behind Olympic champion Ted Ligety.Ligety led a five-strong United States challenge Sunday in 11th, 2.63 back. He had been the only racer other than Hirscher to win a Val dIsere GS in recent years.In his return to racing amid a dispute with Norways ski federation, Henrik Kristoffersen was eighth, trailing by 2.38.Kristoffersen, the World Cup slalom winner last season, skipped a slalom at Levi, Finland, last month to protest being blocked from wearing the helmet of a personal sponsor. The dispute is due in court.Hirscher restored some Austrian pride after the teams embarrassing showing in downhill Saturday, when the traditional Alpine power placed no one in the top 15.He now leads the overall standings after just five races of the season. Kjetil Jansrud of Norway had been tied with Hirscher atop the overall standings but did not finish the first run Sunday after winning the downhill and super-G this weekend.Frances strong showing Sunday was fair reward for Val dIsere stepping in to host the three-race meeting at short notice. It was cancelled at Beaver Creek, Colorado, because of a lack of snow and warm temperatures.The mens circuit stays in Val dIsere next weekend when the highlight of two regularly scheduled races is a giant slalom Saturday. Stitched Football Jerseys Throwback . The Clippers were angry about blowing a big lead; the Kings didnt like being in that kind of hole and nearly digging themselves out only to lose. Discount Football Jerseys Throwback . Its an influence in football and a big part of the game. http://www.cheapfootballthrowback.com/ .J. Ellis hit two-run homers and the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 4-0 Saturday night. Wholesale Football Jerseys Throwback . Batiste, who briefly signed with the Eskimos in 2006, has spent time with several NFL teams including the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins. Sale Football Jerseys Throwback . Boucher previously coached the Tampa Bay Lightning and had a 97-78-20 record over two-plus seasons. 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Injured fullback Billy Slater wont physically take part in Melbournes NRL premiership push but the superstar is still helping the Storm.He managed just one game this season because of a shoulder injury and the 33-year-old is no certainty to return in 2017.Slater could be excused for seeking solitude in September, knowing he wont be on the park to help Melbournes bid for their first title since salary cap sanctions.But the 2011 Dally M winner has remained a sounding board for protege Cameron Munster, who looms as a key player in Saturday nights AAMI Park qualifying final between Storm and North Queensland.He knows a lot about the finals stage and I had a bit of a chat to him the other day, Munster said on Wednesday.Just embrace it and just enjoy it - thats pretty much what he said.And just dont take anything for granted.Billys a class player and a freak of a talent, so Im a little bit different to him but Im trying my best to fill that position.Munster covered for Slater in 2015, including the finals series, and has impressed as a regular No.1 for the minor premiers in 2016.He noted Slater had helped him become more comfortable with the added responsibilities.BBilly and Adam OBrien, our assistant coach, have helped me a lot with our plays, our structure and that sort of stuff, he said.ddddddddddddunster will need to be at his best to defuse a potent Cowboys side led by gifted playmaker Johnathan Thurston.The 21-year-old, who hails from Rockhampton and was part of the Cowboys development squad before joining the Storm, is still in awe of Thurston.I did look up to him. Hes a really good player and a freak of a talent, so to play against him I still pinch myself every now and then, Munster said.Weve got to be on our game for him and I guess try and minimise his timing and vision.Its going to be very hard because hes one of the best players in the world.Well be trying to put him off his game as much as we can.Melbourne have defeated the Cowboys twice this season but Munster knows that isnt cause for confidence against the reigning premiers.Its a different season, he said.Theyve been really consistent this year. We know were going to have to produce our best performance against them (to win). ' ' '