Lucas Pinheiro Braathen held his nerve to win the men's slalom in the Finnish resort of Levi on Sunday, a maiden World Cup victory for Brazil.

Norway-born Braathen, racing for his mother's homeland of Brazil after falling out with the Norwegian ski federation, was fastest down the first leg.

That proved decisive as he timed an aggregate of 1min 50.72sec for victory.

France's Clement Noel was second, at 0.31sec, with Finland's Eduard Hallberg edging Britain's Laurie Taylor to round out the podium.

"It represents who I am, I think," said Braathen, who left the Norwegian set-up in 2023 after clinching the World Cup slalom crystal glob and announced his link-up with the Brazilian federation in March 2024.

"I'm just out here trying to do it my own way and try to ski with my heart, try to ski for myself instead of for others.

"It has cost a lot of big sacrifices. It's been quite challenging.

"Being oneself is a tough road to go, but for me it's the right way and it led me to the very top today here in Levi," said Braathen, a five-time World Cup winner when representing Norway, his father's country and the nation where he largely grew up.

An emotional Braathen added: "This one is a win that is a way bigger personal win than it is a win for the athlete that I am.

"This is a win for me and myself and the choices that I've made and the purpose that I have."

Taylor, 15th fastest in the first run, blasted down with the fastest time in the second, taking the lead ahead of fancied rivals such as Austria's Manuel Feller and Marco Schwarz, and the Swiss pair of Daniel Yule and Tanguy Nef.

Then came the top 10. Croatia's Samuel Kolega, Switzerland's reigning world champion Loic Meillard, Norway's 2023 world champion Henrik Kristoffersen, Frenchman Steven Amiez and Austrian Fabio Gstrein all failed to bother the podium places.

- Full circle -

RTL

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen feeds his prize reindeer / © Lehtikuva/AFP

Norway's Atle Lie McGrath, sixth fastest in the first leg, skied out, before Hallberg sent the crowd wild with a descent that snatched the lead by just four-hundredths of a second.

The top three followed. First out of the start hut was Haugan, the Norwegian building his lead before a costly mistake.

Noel delivered a clean run to ensure his Finnish rival didn't stay long in the leader's chair.

All eyes then turned on the final racer, the 25-year-old Braathen keeping his calm to scorch through to a historic victory for his adopted homeland.

The Brazilian anthem was duly played at the bottom of the Lapland ski slope 170km north of the Arctic Circle.

"This is a song that I've grown up hearing during the football games that inspired me to even start with sports and now to be able to be the reason why that song gets played in an occasion of success, representing the same nation where I grew my love for sports, it truly feels like a full circle moment. And I am just so very proud," Braathen said.

One notable absentee was Austrian star Marcel Hirscher, now racing in the colours of the Netherlands.

The eight-time overall World Cup champion said he would only be back in competition shortly before the February 6-22 Winter Olympics in Milan.

"Progress flows. Precision grows. I'll be back in January," Hirscher said on social media alongside a video of him slalom training.