Zahrobska leads Aspen slalom after first run

Gusting winds strong enough to blow away the finish line banner for the Aspen Winternational women’s Giant Slalom did little to keep Czech Sarka Zahrobska from claiming the first run.

Zahrobska was a tenth of a second ahead of Austrian Kathrin Zettel with German Maria Riesch in third and the defending World Cup slalom champion, Nicole Hosp fourth.

American Lindsey Vonn posted the seventh best first run time, a little less than a full second behind. Vonns said the wind was a factor as it ripped sideways across the course. “I felt like I came to a stop,” she told team officials. The wind also picked up some of the four inches of snow that fell overnight creating some brief whiteouts.

Gusting winds strong enough to blow away the finish line banner for the Aspen Winternational women’s Giant Slalom did little to keep Czech Sarka Zahrobska from claiming the first run.

Zahrobska was a tenth of a second ahead of Austrian Kathrin Zettel with German Maria Riesch in third and the defending World Cup slalom champion, Nicole Hosp fourth.

American Lindsey Vonn posted the seventh best first run time, a little less than a full second behind.

Vonn said the wind was a factor as it ripped sideways across the course. “I felt like I came to a stop,” she told team officials. The wind also picked up some of the four inches of snow that fell overnight creating some brief whiteouts.

Hailey Duke, in 17th, was the next best American as Sarah Schleper elected not to run after aggravating a sore back in the giant slalom and Julia Mancuso got caught up in the final gates and couldn’t make the final two gates.

“It is a straightforward course,” Mancuso said in her radio report to teammates, “but it picks up pace at the bottom.”