LIENZ, Austria, 29 December 2003 — World Cup leader Anja Paerson of Sweden stormed to her third slalom victory of the season yesterday, holding off the challenge of Austria’s shooting star Nicole Hosp.
Paerson, second after the first run but trailing leader Hosp by a gaping 0.64 seconds, let rip in the final leg down the Dolomiten course for a combined time of one minute 48.97 seconds.
Hosp, bidding for a hat trick after her emphatic win in Saturday’s giant slalom as well as in last week’s slalom in Madonna di Campiglio, lost time in the lower section and had to settle for second, 0.34 seconds behind Paerson.
Germany’s Monika Bergmann-Schmuderer, second at this East Tyrolean resort two years ago, charged into third place in a time of 1:49.32, according to provisional results. But the day belonged to Paerson as she made amends for her surprise elimination in the first leg of Saturday’s giant slalom as well as for her disqualification in last week’s downhill in St. Moritz that denied her possible victory.
“This is a big relief,” the Swede said after completing her trademark belly dive in the finish area in celebration.
“I was very nervous before the start, what with my disqualification yesterday and in the downhill,” she added. “I wanted so much.....I didn’t think I’d win it because Niki is so strong,” Paerson, who has now raised her tally of career World Cup wins to 15, said.
Hosp was gracious in defeat.
“You can’t always pull off a second run like the one I had in the opening leg, so second place is super,” the 20-year-old Austrian from Tyrol said.
