Miller wants slalom upset

The unpredictable American, who has appeared at his ragged worst since the start of the two-week festival, could become the first man with world titles for all five disciplines.

The daredevil 29-year-old could also be leaving the snow-clad Swedish resort with his tendency to under-achieve when it matters documented once again.

Miller can get it right at world championships as he has demonstrated by winning downhill and super-G gold in Bormio two years ago and the giant slalom and combined double in 2003 in St Moritz.

A showman, only interested in amazing feats and not in second places, he can also fail badly at major events and did at last year's Olympics, leaving Turin without a medal.

Miller, who came under criticism at the Games by saying he did not care that much about Olympics, regards winning the slalom here to earn a line in the record books as something worth fighting for.

"That would be a cool achievement, to become the first to win all five," he said shortly before the start of the championships.

A former slalom specialist, Miller has what it takes to emulate Sweden's Anja Paerson, who became the first person with world titles for all five events with her golden run here.

The problem for Miller is that he has completed just one slalom over the past year, crashing out of the all other races he entered.

His showing so far in the Are championships also suggest he might struggle on Saturday.

A miserable 24th in the opening super-G, he went on to finish sixth in the super-combined, seventh in the downhill and 15th in the giant slalom.

"Oh, that's horrible skiing from Bode Miller, he's all over the place," the official race speaker said loud and clear during the American's messy second run in Wednesday's giant slalom.

In a typical gamble, Miller had decided to pick for the giant slalom a pair of skis he had never raced on before and had only tested once, on a glacier in Austria in October.

The unconventional all rounder from New Hampshire, who was raised in a log cabin with no electricity or tap water, has a reputation for being a risk-taker and a rebel and likes it that way.

Since the start of the championships, he has carefully avoided the media, which did not stop him from earning headlines in the local tabloids for his exploration of the Swedish nightlife.

A few days before the first race here, he had briefly explained his philosophy, telling reporters: "I'm not that interested in winning races by beating guys I've beaten before. What I really like to do is prove my mettle."

Saturday's slalom presents him with the perfect opportunity to do just that.