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Show Arnold Takes Pro Skiing Title courses. It was the first time this season that three American ended a race in the top four spots. The third place finish brought Thompson into a tie for 9th place in the final standing. It was the 5th time in his six year pro career that Thompson has finished in the top ten. Three rookies finished the season in that elite group including Arnold, Canadian Jim Hunter (in 3rd place), and Austrian Robert Schuchter (tied for 9th place). Tyler Palmer left the competition competi-tion after the round of 16, but that was good enough to secure his 4th place finish for the year, number one among American pros for the 3rd consecutive winter. Arnold, who recently brought his girlfriend to the United States to watch him in his final triumph, will head to Las Vegas this week to spend some of that approximately approxi-mately $200,000 in earnings from the long winter. In a fitting conclusion to the 1978 World Pro Skiing Tour this afternoon, the circuit's overall champion, Andre Arnold, 22, of Solden, Austria captured his 12th victory and fourth weekend sweep of his rookie season as a pro racer. "I'm beginning to feel what it is like to be a world champion, and is is wonderful," said the tall Austrian following his 27th and final race of the winter. The frosting on the cake victory today came over American Terry Palmer, 25, of Ketchum, Idaho, who moved into 5th place in the final World Pro Skiing standings, one position behind his older brother, Tyler. Arnold's final purse is $92,883 in prize money, a mere $500 short of the all time prize money record in a single season, held by another Austrian, Hugo Nindl. Josef Odermatt, 25, a Swiss veteran who led the WPS standings most of the winter and ultimately finished second, ended his season in fitting style as well, getting eliminated in the firsl round of the Dodge Cup. "I was two years a row second, and I thought for sure this is my year," Odermatt told reporters as he sat unshaven and tired at a press conference this afternoon. "I'm very disappointed, and I'rr not sure if I will be back next yeai - I'll have to think about it." Perry Thompson, skiing at his home area (Mammoth Mountain), beat Ken Corrock in the consolation consola-tion round to capture the third place finish today in this 38-gat slalom, set by Thompson in the rotation, of pros setting their own . |