MARIBOR, Slovenia, 25 January 2004 — Anja Paerson went back to the top of the overall World Cup standings with a polished performance in yesterday’s giant slalom.
Trailing Austria’s Michaela Dorfmeister after the first run, the Swedish world champion looked totally in control as she set a combined time of two minutes 18.27 seconds for her sixth victory this season.
Dorfmeister made crucial errors on her second run but held on to second place in 2:19.25, her best performance in the technical discipline for two years.
Spain’s Maria Jose Rienda Contreras hung on for third place in 2:19.50 to equal her career-best finish at the season opener in Soelden.
The Swede won last season’s giant slalom and slalom at the Slovenian venue and she has a chance to repeat that feat and extend her five-point overall lead over Austria’s Renate Goetschl in today’s slalom.
Speed specialist Goetschl finished 11th and now trails Paerson by five points in what is developing into a fascinating duel for the title.
Dorfmeister has had a troubled time in giant slalom this season, failing to make the top 10 in any of the previous four races and the Austrian said she had surpassed her own expectations.
Nineteen-year-old German Maria Riesch produced her best performance in giant slalom to take fourth place ahead of Paerson’s compatriot Anna Ottosson.
Austrian Nicole Hosp and Switzerland’s Sonja Nef both failed to finish their second run with Hosp, second to Paerson in the giant slalom standings, suffering a heavy fall after smashing into a gate.
