Are: Czech Zahrobska leads slalom; Stiegler sits 8th

ARE, Sweden — Sarka Zahrobska of the Czech Republic posted the fastest time in the opening run of the women's slalom Friday at the World Championships.
    Zahrobska, the surprise slalom bronze medalist at the last worlds in Bormio, Italy, two years ago, raced down the floodlit Gastrappet course in 52.77 seconds.
    Reigning Olympic champion Anja Paerson of Sweden — aiming to become the first skier to win four gold medals at a single world championship — sat second with 52.89. Austria's Marlies Schild, who has won five of the six slalom races on the World Cup circuit this season, was third with 0.23 to make up in the second leg. Resi Stiegler remains squarely in medal contention in eighth place, while U.S. teammate Kaylin Richardson sits 22nd with the first 30 racers having finished their runs. 

ARE, Sweden — Sarka Zahrobska of the Czech Republic posted the fastest time in the opening run of the women's slalom Friday at the World Championships.
    Zahrobska, the surprise slalom bronze medalist at the last worlds in Bormio, Italy, two years ago, raced down the floodlit Gastrappet course in 52.77 seconds.
    ''I'm feeling confident,'' the Czech said. ''I must go 100 percent [in the second run] because the girls behind me are all very good.''
    Reigning Olympic champion Anja Paerson of Sweden — aiming to become the first skier to win four gold medals at a single world championship — sat second with 52.89.
    ''The snow is very slow so you had to ski with a lot of sensitivity,'' said Paerson, the 2001 world champion, who is nursing a cold. ''It was very difficult for me because I am a bit ill so I was surprised my time was so good. Despite my cold and the tiredness I've had all day, it still felt good.''
    Austria's Marlies Schild, who has won five of the six slalom races on the World Cup circuit this season, was third with 0.23 to make up in the second leg.
    Paerson and Schild were also the favorites for last week's combined race, in which Paerson won and Schild finished third. Paerson has still not regained her top form in slalom, though, following offseason knee surgery.
    Both Schild and Paerson fell in Tuesday's giant slalom, which was won by Nicole Hosp, who earned the Austrian's team only gold here so far.
    The women have not raced slalom on the World Cup circuit since Jan. 7, when Schild won in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. Two-time defending champion Janica Kostelic is sitting out this season.
    Resi Stiegler was the top U.S. skier and sat eighth with a 0.97 deficit. Teammate Kaylin Richardson sat in 22nd place, 2.48 behind Zahrobska.
   ''I was really nervous before the run,'' Stiegler said. ''I was just not sure how my body was feeling, because I've been skiing really well but the races haven't gone the best, so I was pretty nervous and just felt like 'Oh, just get down the hill.' And I did.''