Coming off a super-G victory on Sunday in Kvitfjell, Norway, Guay went into the race in third place but a blistering run down the Kandahar course earned him the title.
“I didn't think it would happen today, I was so far behind,” Guay said, after winning his first World Cup title. “But I knew that if I won today, I would have a chance so I took maximum risks and it paid off. It was wild.” Guay became the first Canadian to win a crystal globe since Steve Podborski shared the downhill title with Peter Mueller of Switzerland in 1982.
“I'm ecstatic,” Guay said, before taking a swig from a bottle of Bavarian brew. “I didn't know what to expect. I knew I had a small chance and I definitely took a lot of chances.” Guay is already looking forward to next year's World Championship on the same course. Guay won his first World Cup race, a downhill, three years ago on the same slope, although the course was slightly different then. That, and the last two races, remain his only victories on the circuit.
Croatia's Ivica Kostelic finished second, ahead of Olympic champion Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway, who was also third in the final discipline standings. Svindal was defending the title.
Michael Walchhofer of Austria, who led the super-G standings going into the race, finished 15th and ended up second.
Walchhofer had a 46-point lead over Svindal and was 69 points ahead of Guay before the race.
By winning the last two of the six super-G races, Guay swept past his two rivals to claim the title with 331 points. Walchhofer had 316 points and Svindal finished with 314.
“The season could go on for another two or three weeks for me,” Guay said.
Overall, Carlo Janka of Switzerland remained in the lead over Benjamin Raich. The Austrian skier, however, finished ahead of Janka - in sixth place - and cut the gap to 38 points. Janka was tied for 11th.
“I didn't have a great race,” Raich said. “I struggled with the fresh snow, but I was able to cut the gap somewhat.” The overall title will be decided in the final two races, the giant slalom and the slalom.
“We can both do well,” Raich said. “Carlo is very strong in the giant, I can also be fast and maybe I have an edge in the slalom. I am not making any predictions.” Guay covered the 2,200-meter course in 1 minute, 26.36 seconds. Kostelic had a surprisingly strong race, making the podium in the event for the first time this season with a time of 1:26.75. Svindal clocked 1:26.99.
Guay has lost some races by narrow margins, including two fifth-place finishes at the Vancouver Olympics. He won in Kvitfjell by 0.02 seconds, but his victory on Thursday was much more comfortable.
“Sometimes you are on the right side of the clock and sometimes not,” Guay said.
Marco Buechel, the 38-year-old veteran from Liechtenstein, ended his career by coming down as the last racer, having sipped champagne with his serviceman at the starting house.
He came down the hill wearing a suit jacket, tie and shorts, waving to fans.
