Sweden's Paerson wins Madonna slalom; Koznick fifth, Schleper 11th for U.S.

By Published On: June 3rd, 2004Comments Off on Sweden's Paerson wins Madonna slalom; Koznick fifth, Schleper 11th for U.S.

Sweden’s Paerson wins Madonna slalom; Koznick fifth, Schleper 11th for U.S.Anja Paerson of Sweden resumed her winning ways on the women’s World Cup Tuesday, taking a slalom in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy. The win was Paerson’s third of the season, and second in slalom.

France’s Laure Pequegnot, who led after the first run, wound up in second, with Austria’s Nicole Hosp in third. Christel Pascal of France was fourth, and American Kristina Koznick fifth.

Koznick led three Americans into the points, with Sarah Schleper (eighth in the first run) finishing 11th and Resi Stiegler 25th. Stiegler had been 13th after the first run but had a tough second trip. Julia Mancuso also qualified for a second run, but hiked in the second run and probably didn’t finish close enough to the leader to score World Cup points.

There was an unusual start to the race with some top names acting as forerunners. Croatia’s triple Olympic champion Janica Kostelic used her forerun as a chance to continue her return to fitness, while American Bode Miller, second overall in the men’s World Cup last season, sought to improve his slalom form. He failed to qualify for a second run in the men’s slalom the day before.

Paerson remained perfect on the season in slalom, and had to come from behind with the fastest second run to do it.

“I was very disappointed with my first run and I knew I had to give my all in the second race,” said a beaming Paerson. “I had to take risks but it is a tremendous course here, just how I like it and this was a great win.”

Madonna has special memories for Swedish skiers as Ingemar Stenmark, who won a record 86 World Cup races in the 1970s and 1980s, won five slalom and three giant titles at the Dolomite resort.

Paerson, like Stenmark, hails from the town of Tarnaby and said it gave her particular pleasure to win at Madonna. “I was thinking about Stenmark, that he won his first race here and had such great results here over the years,” she said. “It is a legendary race for us Swedes and I wanted it so much. I really had to push and give everything that I have to do it.”

The race, originally scheduled for Spindleruv Mlyn in the Czech Republic, was the first women’s World Cup race to be held at Madonna since 1984. The women race another slalom at Madonna on Wednesday, this one a replacement for a cancelled race in Vratna, Slovakia.

Alpine World Cup

Women’s Slalom

Madonna di Campiglio, Italy

December 16, 2003


1. Anja Paerson (Sweden) 1:40.68 (first run, 51.04/second run, 49.64)

2. Laure Pequegnot (France) 1:41.49 (50.92/50.57)

3. Nicole Hosp (Austria) 1:41.78 (51.80/49.98)

4. Christel Pascal (France) 1:41.87 (51.08/50.79)

5. Kristina Koznick (U.S.) 1:42.02 (52.06/49.96)

6. Anna Ottosson (Sweden) 1:42.03 (51.36/50.67)

7. Marlies Schild (Austria) 1:42.07 (51.69/50.38)

8. Tanja Poutiainen (Finland) 1:42.20 (52.27/49.93)

9. Martina Ertl (Germany) 1:42.23 (51.96/50.27)

10. Trine-Bakke Rognmo (Norway) 1:42.27 (52.75/49.52)

11. Sarah Schleper (U.S.) 1:42.37 (51.87/50.50)

12. Veronika Zuzulova (Slovakia) 1:42.40 (52.64/49.76)

13. Monika Bergmann-Schmuderer (Germany) 1:42.81 (52.79/50.02)

14. Sarka Zahrobska (Czech Republic) 1:43.39 (52.94/50.45)

15. Annalisa Ceresa (Italy) 1:43.50 (53.14/50.36)

16. Sabine Egger (Austria) 1:43.60 (53.19/50.41)

17. Sonja Nef (Switzerland) 1:43.76 (53.01/50.75)

18. Corina Gruenenfelder (Switzerland) 1:43.83 (53.45/50.38)

19= Nika Fleiss (Croatia) 1:43.86 (53.07/50.79)

19= Karin Truppe (Austria) 1:43.86 (53.33/50.53)

21. Annemarie Gerg (Germany) 1:43.87 (52.78/51.09)

22. Elisabeth Goergl (Austria) 1:44.01 (52.96/51.05)

23. Manuela Moelgg (Italy) 1:44.19 (52.95/51.24)

24. Susanne Ekman (Sweden) 1:44.21 (52.87/51.34)

25. Resi Stiegler (U.S.) 1:44.35 (52.67/51.68)

26. Maria Riesch (Germany) 1:44.71 (53.44/51.27)

27. Karina Birkelund (Norway) 1:45.01 (53.57/51.44)

28. Julia Mancuso (U.S.) 2:04.40 (53.26/1:11.14)

DNF 2nd: Marlies Oester (Switzerland), Michaela Kirchgasser (Austria)

Other North Americans:

DNQ 2nd: Jessica Kelley, Kaylin Richardson, USA; Britt Janyk, Emily Brydon, CAN.

DNF 1st: Allison Forsyth, CAN.

THE SCOOP

> by Hank McKee

Equipment, Women’s Slalom

Madonna di Campiglio, Italy, December 16, 2003


Skier, skis/boots/bindings

1 Paerson, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

2 Pequegnot, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

3 Hosp, Volkl/Rexxam/Marker

4 Pascal, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

5 Koznick, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker

6 Ottosson, Dynastar/Lange/Tyrolia

7 Schild, Atomic/Lange/Atomic

8 Poutiainen, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol

9 Ertl, Rossignol/Nordica/Rossignol

10 Bakke Rognmo, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol

The race replaces a slalom that was to have taken place in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic. … It’s the eighth of 36 scheduled World Cup races for women, and the second of 11 slaloms.

The 14th career win for Anja Paerson, ninth in slalom. … It’s her third win of the season. … She has no result worse than fourth in the five gate races (SL & GS). … It’s a large margin of victory for a slalom at 0.81 seconds; there is less time between second and 10th than between first and second. … Sweden hadn’t won a race at Madonna di Campiglio (usually a men’s site) since Jonas Nilsson nearly eight years ago (12/17/85).

It is the eighth podium for Laure Pequegnot, all in slalom. … She has been second and fourth in the two slaloms held this season. … The ninth podium for Nicole Hosp and third this season, out of three finishes. … Hosp, just 20, has podiums in 60 percent of her career World Cup races, a remarkable percentage.

It’s the first time Kristina Koznick has ever finished fifth in a World Cup. … She’s been fourth or better 24 times. … It’s her best result of the season. … The first scoring finish in slalom this season for Sarah Schleper. … She has been 11th or better in 23 of her 63 scoring finishes, career.

It is the third scoring finish career for Resi Stiegler, and second of the season, all in slalom. … Julia Mancuso gets no points for finishing 28th, 23seconds off the pace.

Paerson extends her lead in overall standings 430-266 over Carole Montillet. … Paerson’s lead in slalom is 200-130 over Laure Pequegnot. … Kristina Koznick is sixth at 71. … Austria leads the Nations Cup 4174-1339 over Italy. … Austria leads the women’s standings 1390-649 for France. … U.S. women are seventh at 469.

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About the Author: Pete Rugh