Jansrud doubles up as Norway leads way without Svindal

Jansrud won both weekend races at Lake Louise as the absence of Norway's flag-bearer Aksel Lund Svindal, injured before the start of the alpine skiing season, has gone almost unnoticed as his team-mates have won three of four men's races so far.

"So far Lake Louise has always been Aksel's hill and not mine but hopefully it's turning into mine as well," said the versatile 29-year-old Jansrud, who now leads the World Cup standings over three-times defending champion Marcel Hirscher of Austria.

Jansrud beat Olympic downhill champion Matthias Mayer by 0.29 seconds after upstaging local favourite Manuel Osborne-Paradis by 0.14 in Saturday's downhill.

The two wins, Jansrud's first in the World Cup outside his home country, added to compatriot Henrik Kristofferson's astounding slalom victory in the Finnish resort of Levi earlier this month.

"I don't think I have a secret for how I skied this weekend and I never expected a double win as it's something you very rarely see in skiing so I am kind of surprised," Jansrud said.

But his Lake Louise double made him on par with former skiing greats like Austria's Stefan Eberharter, American Bode Miller or Svindal, who achieved the same feat two seasons ago.

While stealing the limelight off his compatriot, Jansrud insisted he missed him.

"It's harder without Aksel because we have the same ski maker and we can share useful information on the equipment. Our styles are different but we're both looking for the ideal line," he said.

Svindal tore his Achilles tendon playing football in training days before the season opener in Soleden in October.

His absence had seemed to pave the way for a fourth successive big globe for Hirscher, but Jansrud might have a say as well even if he insists he has no such plans.

"With Marcel around, the overall is always difficult. It's not an objective as such but if I keep my downhill and Super-G form, maybe we'll think about it in the end of season," he said.

The men now leaving Lake Louise to the women and move to Beaver Creek, a crucial test as the Colorado resort will host the next world championships in February.