TORINO: Alpine: Top-ranked women prepare for slalom battle

TORINO: Alpine: Top-ranked women prepare for slalom battle{mosimage}SESTRIERE, Italy – Steep and icy on the top and gradually mellowing to a flat finish, the women’s Olympic slalom hill will provide a stern test. Most of those competing in the slalom have already had one crack at this hill in the slalom portion of the combined, but a different day and different courses could bring different results.

The top five ranked World Cup slalom skiers occupied the top five places in the combined slalom, with Marlies Schild from Austria sweeping both runs. An ailing Janica Kostelic summoned barely enough energy for second, leaving Austrian youngster Kathrin Zettel in third. Rounding out the top five were perennial favorite from Sweden, Anja Paerson in fourth and Austria’s Nicole Hosp in fifth.

The 2006 Olympic gold medal should come down to a tussle between these five racers, although some talented slalom skiers who skipped the combined slalom will be entering the mix. Last year’s World Cup slalom champion, Finland’s Tanja Poutiainen, should contend for the medals, as well as 2002 Olympic gold medalist in slalom, Laure Pequenot from France. American Kristina Koznick was originally on the list of contenders, but a stretched ACL and bone bruise in her knee could keep her from being at her best.

As for the X-factors, the steep and icy turns on the top of the course will play into Schild’s strengths, but a recovering Kostelic is on a roll that just won’t stop. She’s already medaled in six consecutive Olympic races, dating back to 2002, and she is 2-for-2 so far in these Games. She’s able to dial it in like no other and her No. 1 World Cup slalom ranking proves her skills are as strong as her mind.

Paerson is on top of most pundits’ lists of favorites, but she’s been wound up a bit too tight so far these Games. Even her friend and rival Kostelic has noticed. ‘She’s having a hard time, but she is still young and she can win whatever she wants’ said Kostelic. ‘I told her that she needs not to take too seriously what happens. She needs to be more relaxed and she said that she will follow my suggestion.’

Following that key bit of advice will be the key to victory.

The first run will start at 2:45 p.m. followed by the second run under the lights at 5:45 p.m.