European Report: Women's World Cup takes a break; Schild has knee surgery

European Report: Women’s World Cup takes a break; Schild has knee surgery{mosimage}The women’s circuit takes its first break since Christmas and skiers everywhere are heading home for some of momma’s cooking before the homestretch of the 2003-04 season.

Sweden’s Anja Paerson holds a 112-point overall lead over Austria’s Renate Goetschl and has the double advantage that the next races (February 21 and 22) are on home snow at Are.

“I’ve got two weeks off (before Are) and I’m going home to mess around on my new snowmobile,” Paerson told Reuters.

The 22-year-old Paerson is on course to become the first overall winner from Sweden since Pernilla Wiberg in 1997. She’s been untouchable in the technical disciplines and could widen her lead over Goetschl in the next races (a super G and a GS).

With nine victories so far this season, she is also threatening Swiss legend Vreni Schnieder’s record of 14 in a season. “It’s not over until it’s over,” she said. “My goal for the season was to try to do the best in each race and not to think about anything else.”

Goetschl admits the fight for the overall title looks gloomy. “Anja is difficult to beat and she’s obviously in top form,” Goetschl told Austrian national radio ORF. “We’re in a difficult situation now. We will fight on and make the best of it.”

>> Schild on the mend

Austrian gate specialist Marlies Schild left the hospital Monday after an operation to repair meniscus damage in her left knee.

The 22-year-old is one of a new generation of Austrians to shine in the gates. She’s scored four slalom podiums this season to confirm her silver world’s medal in slalom last year at St. Moritz, Switzerland.

She’s second overall in the slalom standings and coaches hope she can be back for two slaloms February 28 and 29 in Levi, Finland.

“We will work on it. There’s small cartilage damage and that could slow down her recovery,” said the Austrian team doctor Herbert Resch. “Right now it’s possible she might be ready to ski but we have to see how rehabilitation goes.”

>> Biathlon star given wrong medal

Norwegian biathlon star Liv Grete Skjelbreid Poiree was handed the wrong gold medal after she won Sunday’s 7.5-kilometer World Cup biathlon event in Oberhof.

That event isn’t scheduled until Tuesday, when Poiree is the favorite for the victory any way. But embarrassed German officials admitted the miscue and just after Norway’s national anthem was played, the gold medal was taken away and replaced with the proper one.

It was Poiree’s second World Cup win in as many days and the 29-year-old was smiling despite the podium hiccup. On Saturday, her French husband Raphael Poiree also won in the men’s biathlon, followed by a silver on Sunday, so the golden couple had plenty to celebrate.

Poiree has had a brilliant World Cup season after taking a year off for maternity leave. The Poirees’ year-old daughter Emma was on hand to give her medal-winning parents.