Austria command team event

Austria, who dominated the competition featuring a super-G and a slalom to score a winning total of 18 points, ended the two-week festival with nine medals, three of each colour.

Hosts Sweden had to be content with 33 points for silver and finished the championships in second place with three golds, two silvers and two bronzes.

Switzerland completed the podium for the team event, inaugurated at the last world championships two years ago in Bormio, Italy, with third place on 39 points.

The Austrian racers showed their determination by clocking the fastest times in three of the four super-G heats courtesy of Renate Goetschl, Fritz Strobl and Michaela Kirchgasser, with Benjamin Raich second fastest in the other.

Marlies Schild then contributed with the best time in her slalom heat to make it a memorable occasion for her and boyfriend Raich.

"We had lot of fun," said Schild. "This is a great event and winning it means a lot to us."

There were four heats for each discipline and one racer from each nation competed in each heat. A penalty points system was used with the heat winner getting one point, the second-placed skier two points, and so on. The team with the lowest points total won.

Austria, the dominant nation in the showcase winter sport for years, struggled here at times over the last fortnight, missing out on the podium of the men's downhill and finishing out of the top 20 of the men's giant slalom for the first time at a major event.

In the final event, however, they were in a league of their own.

"It's great to finish on a high note," said Goetschl. "We had a point to make today. We were determined to win this."

After destroying the field in the super-G, the Austrians used smart tactics in the slalom, taking no unneeded risks.

Out of the eight heats from both disciplines, they won four and never placed lower than fourth.

"We went for it in the super-G runs and had a more tactical approach in the slaloms," said Raich. "Gold was our only goal today."

Germany, the defending champions, finished seventh while the Americans, whose top skiers were not competing, ended last.

Sweden, who had a party on home snow, could not match the Austrians' in-depth strength on Sunday but Anja Paerson, the winner of three gold medals and a bronze here, still signed off in style.

The winner of the super-G, super-combined and downhill titles bowed gracefully to the cheering crowd after her slalom heat.

"Gold would have been great but silver is an achievement for a country like ours," she said.

Aksel Lund Svindal, who won gold in the men's downhill and giant slalom, was not in action on Sunday as his Norway team did not enter the event.