Giuliano Razzoli of Italy topped the timings for the shortened first leg of the Olympic slalom on Saturday ahead of Slovenian Mitja Valencic and Benjamin Raich of Austria.
The Italian, whose sole World Cup victory came at Zagreb this season, timed 47.79sec, 0.43sec ahead of Valencic with Raich a further 0.11sec adrift.
In poor visibility and heavy rain, the course claimed a number of high-profile casualties, notably Austria's reigning world champion Manfred Pranger and American Bode Miller.
Between bib starters 15 through 30, only six finished the course, Japan's Akira Sasaki coming closest at a massive 1.62sec off Razzoli's pace.
German hope Felix Neureuther bombed out to ensure his country would not increase their three gold medal-haul in alpine skiing at these Games.
American duo Ted Ligety and Miller also skied out, the latter after only three gates to bring his Olympic Games to a sad end after he had won super-combined gold, super-G silver and downhill bronze.
If Miller had medalled he would have become the first skier to have won medals in all five disciplines, but it was not to be as later racers were hampered by deteriorating visibility in thick fog.
But the 32-year-old American said he would leave the Games pleased with his three-medal haul.
"I'm 100 percent pleased. It couldn't be better," he said.
"Slalom's always had a special place for me. I skied it well in the super-combined and it won me gold. And it's the Olympic medal I don't have.
"It was challenging today, but I was ready to go. It was really grabby snow and it was the first time any of us have seen this snow, it was throwing guys off.
"It was unfortunate to make a mistake so high up, but that's slalom. You've got to be ready to pound through the very first gates."
Ligety, however, said he was gutted to be leaving the Olympics without a medal.
"Sometimes it goes well and sometimes it doesn't. I guess this is a bit of a kick in nuts leaving here without a medal," he said.
"I would have liked to get one in giant slalom."
Raich said he was ready to go all out to help the Austrian men's team claim a maiden medal at these Games.
"I'm really happy with the run," said the Austrian. "It is not good conditions. I was fast at the top and I really had to struggle through the bottom. Now I have give it full gas in the next run."
Copyright 2010 AFP Global Edition
