ALTA BADIA, Italy, 15 December 2003 — Finland’s Kalle Palander won his first World Cup giant slalom yesterday to leave world champion Bode Miller in the shade.

Palander, the defending World Cup slalom champion but without a podium finish in giant slalom, produced two brilliant runs to win with a combined time of two minutes 30.57 seconds.

The flying Finn, who has enjoyed five slalom victories this year, never looked threatened as he extended his advantage from the first leg with a clinical second run.

Italian Davide Simoncelli almost repeated compatriot Denise Karbon’s victory in the women’s race on Saturday but had to settle for second place nearly a full second back.

Frederic Covili of France was third in 2:31.65 with Miller pushed down to fourth after a disappointing second leg.

The American has struggled after a great start to the season and will try and get back on the winning trail in today’s floodlit slalom at nearby Madonna di Campiglio.

Austrian Hermann Maier retained the overall World Cup lead by more than 100 points despite crashing out during his second run.

Italy’s Karbon Takes First World Cup Win

Italy’s Denise Karbon celebrated her first Alpine skiing World Cup success on Saturday by winning a giant slalom in front of her home fans.

Karbon, silver medalist at this year’s Alpine world championships, pipped Austrian Nicole Hosp by a mere 0.03 of a second after lying fifth following the first run on the demanding ‘Gran Risa’ piste.

Austrian Elisabeth Goergl, the first leg leader, finished third with a total time 0.37 slower than Karbon’s two minutes 14.69 seconds.

“It’s wonderful to win this race in front of my fan club and my friends from Castelrotto, which is not so far away from here, said Karbon. “I can still barely believe it.”

Sweden’s overall World Cup leader Anja Paerson had to be content with fourth place, kept off the podium by only .01 of a second.

France’s Carole Montillet, winner of the first two downhills, came in 24th while Germany’s Martina Ertl fell in the second run.

Austria’s Michaela Dorfmeister was 16th and Renate Goetschl, the recent super-G winner in Lake Louise, 21st on a disappointing day for the favorites.

The race was moved to Italy because of a lack of snow in the Czech Republic resort of Spindleruv Mlyn.

The piste, a men’s classic, had not hosted the women’s World Cup since 1995 and an Italian — Sabina Panzanini — won then as well. It was Karbon’s second podium in three giant slaloms, the diminutive Italian finishing third in Utah’s Park City last month, and could serve as a springboard for more success.

In the past she has frequently come close to victory after aggressive second runs.

“I was quite pleased by my first run today because I didn’t lose so much time on the leaders despite making too many mistakes,” said the 23-year-old.