Zwiesel: Slalom succumbs to storm

The women's slalom World Cup race at Arber-Zwiesel was canceled Sunday due to strong winds and a mix of rain and snow.
    Race officials twice postponed the start of the slalom before eventually deciding to call off the meet altogether. The Zwiesel giant slalom also was canceled Saturday and neither event will be rescheduled.
    The cancellation gave Lindsey Vonn a boost in her bid for the overall World Cup title.
    ''In the end it plays out better for me, but I always want everyone to have an equal opportunity,'' said Vonn, who has gained only 22 points in six slalom races this season.
    The American leads Nicole Hosp of Austria by 54 points in the overall World Cup standings — 1,103 to 1,049.
ZWIESEL, Germany — The women's slalom World Cup race at Arber-Zwiesel was canceled Sunday due to strong winds and a mix of rain and snow.
    Race officials twice postponed the start of the slalom before eventually deciding to call off the meet altogether.
    The Zwiesel giant slalom also was canceled Saturday and neither event will be rescheduled.
    The cancellation gave Lindsey Vonn a boost in her bid for the overall World Cup title.
    ''In the end it plays out better for me, but I always want everyone to have an equal opportunity,'' said Vonn, who has gained only 22 points in six slalom races this season.
    The American leads Nicole Hosp of Austria by 54 points in the overall World Cup standings — 1,103 to 1,049.
    Vonn's best slalom finish this season was 17th at Maribor, Slovenia.
    ''Of course it's bad for Niki [Hosp] to take away her advantage,'' Austria women's head coach Herbert Mandl said. ''But if she stays concentrated, she can still do it.''
    Vonn won the World Cup downhill title last weekend in Whistler, British Colombia. Marlies Schild of Austria leads the slalom discipline with 540 points, ahead of Hosp with 465.
    FIS race director Atle Skaardal said the winds made ski lifts difficult for competitors and officials at Arber-Zwiesel. A mix of rain and snow also caused problems.
    "To tell you the truth, it's not such a bad call for Lindsey. She's going to come out of this weekend with the same lead on Hosp as she had going in,'' U.S. women's coach Patrick Riml said. ''She's in a really good position.''
    Because of Saturday's cancellation, Italy's Denise Karbon of Italy won the giant slalom title with an insurmountable 181-point lead over Elisabeth Goergl of Austria.

    — The Associated Press