Olympic double-medalist Bode Miller (Franconia, NH), looking to become the first American man to win the World Cup slalom title since 1982, but mistakenly wearing downhill race boots, electrified the crowd and the race field Saturday with another of his wild rides in slalom but it wasn't quite enough as Croatian Ivica Kostelic held on for the win and the season-long slalom crown.

Miller finished 2nd – in the race and for the season – while newly crowned world junior champ Steve Nyman (Sundance, UT) was 15th, scoring World Cup points in his first race.

Kostelic tore through the first run while Miller had some bobbles and was 8th, 1.35 seconds out. On the second run, the two-time Olympic silver medalist dusted the field by more than a second to finish with a two-run time of 1:38.15.

But Kostelic had the second-fastest final run and it gave him the victory in 1:37.92. Miller, trailing by 31 points in the slalom points race coming into World Cup Finals, needed to win with Kostelic 2nd or finish 2nd with the Croatian 5th to become the first U.S. man to win the crown since Phil Mahre two decades ago.

"I was in the start gate [before his first run] and I looked down and said, 'Well, there's nothing I can about it now. I've just gotta go,'" Miller said in the finish area, shaking his head about picking the wrong boots; downhill/super G boots are softer while slalom/GS boots are stiffer to provide quick reaction for the racer. "That may explain some things about that first run, though...

"I gave it everything...Slalom is slalom. You've got to get up and then go for it. I had a good run this morning. I made some mistakes but then I adjusted between runs. It's the end of the season and I wanted to go out with a great run. It was fast. I gave it everything I had. I did everything I could," he added.

"I was in a tough position after the first run. With that much time and Kostelic skiing so great, I needed to have a helluva second run. I did that but it wasn't enough," the Carrabassett Valley Academy product said. "I was charging but Kostelic skied a great season – no blowouts, no mistakes, he was there every race and that's what it takes to get this title, and why everyone wants it, because you have to be good all season, not just one race."

Miller saluted Kostelic, whose first World Cup win came at Aspen, CO, in November during the Chevy Truck Aspen Winternational -- not just for his outstanding skiing "but he's a great guy and a great guitar player, too."

Kostelic, whose younger sister Janica won an unprecedented four medals (three golds, one silver) at the Olympics, helped boost Miller – who had no World Cup slalom finishes a year ago before a knee injury at the World Championships ended his season early – to his breakthrough season. "It was a great season all around and to push against him was the best push I've ever had," Miller said.

With one race remaining, Sunday's giant slalom, Miller is secure in 4th place overall but 72 points back of Swiss racer Didier Cuche, who stands second in GS points. It's the best U.S. man's result since Tommy Moe was 8th in 1994. If he were to finish in the top four, he would become the first U.S. racer over 1,000 points for the season; the World Cup went to 100-80-60-50-45-etc. scoring system for top-30 finishers with the 1992 season, replacing the 25-20-15-12-11-etc. system for top-15.

Nyman, who came out of the Sundance program but started training and racing with the Park City Ski Team and Coach Rob Clayton about four years ago, was named to the World Juniors team as a discretionary pick. He won the slalom title and was silver medalist in combined – and earned his first World Cup point Saturday; points at World Cup Finals go to the top 15 finishers.

"I knew I had to relax [between runs]. It was just common sense," Nyman said. "I was skiing down the hill [in warmup] and I was looking at the crowd and I felt nervous and I knew it. The main thing I wanted to do was finish. Some people come in here and figure they have one shot and they go – and they go out after eight or 10 gates. I wanted to finish and it ended up going pretty good."

Men's tech Head Coach Jesse Hunt added, "It was a great end to the season with Bode laying one down. We're really happy...and Nyman kept his head on and skied well, too. He got World Cup points in his first race, which is good for him. He's got some real potential."

The men's World Cup season concludes Sunday with giant slalom and then U.S. skiers face the Chevy Truck U.S. Alpine Championships next week at California's Squaw Valley and Sugar Bowl Resorts.

— Courtesy US Ski Team