Are, Sweden  - Italy beat Austria on countback for first place in a team event which ended the alpine skiing World Cup season on Sunday.

Nicole Gius, Daniela Merighetti, Nadia Fanchini, Peter Fill, Werner Heel and Michael Moelgg had 21 points from four rounds each of slalom and super-g skiing. Austria also had 21 points but won only two of the eight rounds to Italy's three.

Switzerland were third with 23 points as only five teams took part in the event.

The winner of each round received one point, the second-placed team two, down to five points for the last-placed finisher Sunday.

The relatively new team event still has a low profile and fell victim to bad weather at the 2008 World Cup finals and the 2009 world championships.

Race director Guenter Hujara criticised the low number of teams on Sunday and said it could undermine inclusion in the programme of future Olympic Games. dpa