Germany’s Riesch wins second slalom in Levi; Koznick leads U.S. team in fourthGerman teenager Maria Riesch collected her first World Cup slalom victory on Sunday after champion Anja Paerson committed an uncharacteristic mistake.

Riesch, 19, who has now scored three victories in three disciplines this year, beat Austrian Elisabeth Goergl by 0.32 seconds with her two-run time of 1:43.75. On a good day for the German team, former World Cup giant slalom champion Martina Ertl was third, 0.96 seconds behind.

American Kristina Koznick, who was fifth in Saturday’s slalom at Levi, moved up a notch to finish fourth, her best slalom result of the season. She missed the podium by just three hundredths of a second.

Also finishing in the points for the U.S. was Lindsey Kildow, who bounced back from a DSQ on Saturday to finish 13th, and Julia Mancuso, who tied for 16th with Swiss Marlies Oester.

Paerson, who has already secured the slalom and giant slalom World Cups this season, straddled a gate within sight of the finish line after being just 0.07 seconds off the pace at the intermediate checkpoint in the second run.

The 22-year-old Paerson had struggled with the icy conditions all weekend and had changed her skis after finishing fourth in Saturday’s slalom — the first time she had failed to make the podium this season. “I knew I wasn’t unbeatable,” said Paerson, who set the fourth-best time in Sunday’s first run.

Riesch, one of the tallest women on the ski circuit at 5’9″, led by 0.31 seconds after the first run and kept the advantage despite nearly losing her balance as she charged down the second run.

“I am so happy today that I won my first slalom because I really didn’t expect this when I came here,” said Riesch, who won her first downhill and super G in the Austrian resort of Haus im Ennstal a month ago. She finished third in the first slalom at Levi on Saturday.

Just one women’s race in each discipline now remains, at the World Cup finals in Sestriere, Italy, from March 10 to 14.

“I am looking forward to the last races,” said Riesch. “I am in great shape now and I feel confident.”

Paerson’s problems meant she was unable to pad her lead in the overall World Cup. But she was helped by the fact that her closest rival, Austrian Renate Goetschl who is more at home in the speed events, missed a gate in the first run and was disqualified. With just four races left on the schedule, Paerson leads Goetschl 1381-1208.

Tanja Poutiainen, who was a local heroine on Saturday when she became the first Finnish woman to win a World Cup race, was sixth on Sunday, 1.86 seconds behind Riesch.

Alpine World Cup

Women’s Slalom

Levi, Finland

February 29, 2004

1. Maria Riesch (Germany) 1:43.75 (51.97/51.78)

2. Elisabeth Goergl (Austria) 1:44.07 (52.61/51.46)

3. Martina Ertl (Germany) 1:44.71 (52.28/52.43)

4. Kristina Koznick (U.S.) 1:44.74 (52.37/52.37)

5. Monika Bergmann-Schmuderer (Germany) 1:45.28 (52.82/52.46)

6. Tanja Poutiainen (Finland) 1:45.61 (53.02/52.59)

7. Annalisa Ceresa (Italy) 1:45.82 (52.86/52.96)

8. Sabine Egger (Austria) 1:46.04 (53.48/52.56)

9. Sarka Zahrobska (Czech Republic) 1:46.09 (53.48/52.61)

10. Trine-Bakke Rognmo (Norway) 1:46.23 (53.67/52.56)

11. Anna Ottosson (Sweden) 1:46.34 (53.39/52.95)

12. Marlies Schild (Austria) 1:46.43 (53.46/52.97)

13. Lindsey Kildow (U.S.) 1:46.49 (53.58/52.91)

14. Annemarie Gerg (Germany) 1:46.55 (53.09/53.46)

15. Veronika Zuzulova (Slovakia) 1:46.81 (54.03/52.78)

16= Julia Mancuso (U.S.) 1:47.07 (54.09/52.98)

16= Marlies Oester (Switzerland) 1:47.07 (53.97/53.10)

18. Janette Hargin (Sweden) 1:47.20 (54.24/52.96)

19. Manuela Moelgg (Italy) 1:47.60 (54.00/53.60)

20. Corina Gruenenfelder (Switzerland) 1:47.73 (54.48/53.25)

21. Nika Fleiss (Croatia) 1:47.75 (54.58/53.17)

22. Karina Birkelund (Norway) 1:47.81 (54.20/53.61)

23. Vanessa Vidal (France) 1:48.25 (54.18/54.07)

24. Lisa Bremseth (Norway) 1:48.32 (54.48/53.84)

25. Petra Zakourilova (Czech Republic) 1:48.35 (54.96/53.39)

26. Florine De Leymarie (France) 1:48.46 (54.52/53.94)

27. Emmi Pezzedi (Italy) 1:48.91 (54.89/54.02)

DNF 2nd: Laure Pequegnot (France), Michaela Kirchgasser (Austria), Anja Paerson (Sweden)

Other North Americans:

DNF 1st: Resi Stiegler (U.S.)

THE SCOOP

> by Hank McKee

Equipment, Women’s Slalom

Levi, Finland, February 29, 2004

Skier, skis/boots/bindings

1 Riesch, Head/Lange/Tyrolia

2 Goergl, Volkl/Lange/Marker

3 Ertl, Rossignol/Nordica/Rossignol

4 Koznick, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker

5 Bergmann-Schmuderer, Volkl/Rexxam/Marker

6 Poutiainen, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol

7 Ceresa, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker

8 Egger, Head/Lange/Tyrolia

9 Zahrobska, Head/Head/Tyrolia

10 Bakke Rognmo, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol

The women have just four races at remaining, at the World Cup Finals, one in each discipline. … It’s the third win of the season for Head skis.

The third career World Cup win for Maria Riesch, in three different disciplines. … All of her wins have come this season. … She is 19 and as of two weeks ago holds the all-time record for medals won in World Junior Championship competition at nine. … Riesch has moved past Martina Ertl in the overall standings to rank seventh, the number two German behind Hilde Gerg.

The fifth career podium for Elisabeth Goergl, her fourth of the season, and second in two races at Levi. … It’s the 54th career podium for Ertl and her 11th in slalom. … It is her fourth podium of the season, two in slalom.

It’s the 24th career top four for Kristina Koznick, all in slalom. … It’s her best finish of the season. … Twenty percent of her top-four results have come in Scandinavia. … It’s the best World Cup slalom result of Lindsey Kildow’s young career. … She is the “WinStar” winner for the race, an award that goes to the skier with the best result starting in bib 46 or higher; she wore bib 47. … It’s the second best slalom result for Julia Mancuso, bested only by her 10th on Saturday.

Second-run DNF Anja Paerson maintains the lead in the overall standings 1381-1208 over first-run DNF Renate Goetschl. … Kirsten Clark is still the top American in 13th at 456. … Paerson also maintains the slalom standings 730-412 over Monika Bergmann-Schmuderer. … Koznick is the top American in eighth at 275. … Austria holds the Nations Cup lead 14644-4455 over Italy with the U.S. in third at 4389. … The Austrians lead the women’s standings 5717-3415 over Germany with the U.S. third at 2179.