SKIING WORLD CUP : Girardelli Cuts Through Fog, Wins Fourth Title

Clouds and a light snowfall moved into the Roaring Fork Valley Sunday, but that was no excuse for some of the confusion obscuring events on the final day of the 1991 Aspen Winternational.

When the fog finally lifted:

--Marc Girardelli had won a record-equaling fourth World Cup men’s overall championship.

--Rudi Nierlich of Austria was still the winner of the slalom.

For some unknown reason, the word before the race was that if Girardelli finished third or higher, he would clinch the World Cup, with two races remaining at Waterville Valley, N.H., weekend after next. After he could do no better than fourth place, Girardelli was greeted by ESPN’s Andy Mill: “Too bad, Marc, you came close, but you’ll have to wait until Waterville. . . “

Wait a minute.

“Say what?” said Girardelli.

Cut, stop the tape.

ESPN had to do a hasty reshoot because Girardelli knew, as did a few others with doctorates in math, that if he merely finished ahead of Alberto Tomba, he would wrap up the title. And the Italian, who had won Saturday’s giant slalom, came in sixth.

Since neither racer is scheduled to compete in the speed events next weekend at Lake Louise, Canada, even if Tomba won the slalom and giant slalom the following weekend, he could add only 50 points to his total of 177, leaving him at least 15 short of Girardelli, who already has 242.

Said the Austrian-born Girardelli, who races for Luxembourg: “I am happy to join not only Pirmin Zurbriggen, but also Gustavo Thoeni (now Tomba’s coach) as a four-time winner.”

Asked if he intended to go for No. 5 next season, Girardelli said: “Yes, for sure. I hope I won’t have as much pain next year and will be able to ski more to my limits. One of my goals is to come back in downhill, but I will have to train a little harder this summer.”

First, however, Girardelli, 27, will undergo surgery later this month to repair his reinjured left knee, which has pained him throughout the winter.

Since he plans to compete at least through the 1994 Winter Olympics, Girardelli, who also won the overall title in 1985, ’86 and ‘89, could conceivably challenge Annemarie Moser-Proell’s record--for both men and women--of six World Cup overall championships.

On Sunday, Girardelli had a two-run time of 1:28.77. Tomba, who was 15th after the first run, had the fastest second run, but could move up only nine slots with his total of 1:28.99.

Nierlich, whose 166 points boosted him into third place in the overall standings ahead of downhill winner Franz Heinzer of Switzerland, won in 1:28.21, with Tomas Fogdoe of Sweden 0.26 back in second, followed by Fabio DeCrignis of Italy, another 0.28 behind.

Nierlich, however, had a few anxious moments.

A gatekeeper said he had missed Gate No. 32 on his second run, thereby disqualifying him. The Austrian team immediately protested, and a look at videotapes from three angles determined that the gatekeeper had erred.

Nierlich who was second in the giant slalom, picking up a total of $6,000 in gold from race organizers for his two days’ work.

Asked what he would do with the token purse, Nierlich said: “Florida.” The 25-year-old Austrian plans to take a little spring break before returning to the ice and snow in New Hampshire.