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Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal won the season-ending downhill in Are to take the overall World Cup lead with just three events remaining.

Svindal, reigning world super combined champion and Super-G bronze medallist, clocked one minute 22.46 seconds to finish two tenths ahead of Switzerland's Didier Cuche with Sweden's Hans Olsson a further 0.16 adrift.

The Norwegian now stands atop the overall standings with 929 points, with Austrian Benjamin Raich in second on 857 and Cuche in third on 843.

Croatian Ivica Kostelic was the big loser of the day's racing, seeing his pre-race lead disappear after he failed to net a single point after finishing a disappointing 17th.

Austrian Michael Walchhofer crashed out on the course but still picked up the cristal globe for topping the World Cup downhill standings.

Walchhofer finished on 470 points, 46 ahead of compatriot Klaus Kroell and 107 in front of Swiss racer Didier Defago.

It was the third time Walchhofer has snapped up the downhill title after previous successes in 2005 and 2006.

Svindal's victory was another great result for a skier well en route to rebounding from a horror crash to re-establish himself on the circuit.

The 26-year-old Norwegian suffered a terrible accident coming out of the spectacular "Golden Eagle" jump late in the run at Beaver Creak, Colorado, in November 2007.

Svindal, at the time the defending overall World Cup champion, suffered serious injuries including a double nose fracture, a broken cheekbone, the loss of several teeth and a deep cut to his left buttock.

He spent more than a week in hospital following the crash, including some time in intensive care.

But he has bounced back to claim the super combined title at the World Championships and a Super-G bronze, and won his third downhill victory of the season on a slope where he won two golds (downhill, giant slalom) in the 2007 worlds.

"Things are going better and better for me," said Svindal. "I have to score as many points as possible in the speed events, so this start to the finals is very important for me.

"I'll not be taking many points during Saturday's slalom," said the Norwegian.

AFP