Pinheiro Braathen seals back-to-back World Cup victories with slalom win in Levi

LEVI, Finland -- Two races, two wins.The World Cup skiing season couldn't have started any better for Lucas Pinheiro Braathen.The Brazilian skier who earned South America its first medal at the Winter Olympics won the opening World Cup slalom in Levi, Finland, by 0.56 seconds on Sunday.It follows up on his victory in the giant slalom in Sölden last month, which was the only other World Cup race so far this season.The Norwegian-born Pinheiro Braathen led by 0.65 from Clement Noel after the first run and stayed ahead of the Frenchman, who placed second. Olympic slalom champion Loic Meillard was a further 0.17 back in third.Popular ReadsPinheiro Braathen, who won the race in Levi last year too, now has 10 career World Cup wins — including five since he started representing Brazil after switching nationalities two years ago to represent his mother’s home country.___See AP’s full Alpine skiing coverage here