ZWIESEL, Germany, 8 February 2004 — Anja Paerson of Sweden wrapped up the season title in the giant slalom yesterday with two blazing runs, swamping the competition by nearly two seconds.
Paerson earned her third giant slalom win of the season and leapfrogged past Renate Goetschl of Austria again in their season-long battle to win the overall World Cup title.
Paerson soared down the steep Arber World Cup slope in 2 minutes, 17.8 seconds, with Tina Maze of Slovenia a distant second in 2:19.78 and Goetschl third, another .07 seconds back.
The 22-year-old Swede didn’t know until after the race that she had wrapped up the giant slalom title with two races to go, then threw up her arms in a victory celebration.
“Well, what do you know,” she said. “I just take each race at a time. It’s more relaxing. Now I can win the slalom and overall title too.”
Paerson has eight victories this season.
For a long time it appeared Maze might hold onto the lead, although the Slovenian started 21st on the second run. But one skier after another kept sliding out or losing time on some ruts midway through the course created by warm weather and too soft snow.
Then Paerson put together her second nearly perfect run of the day, easily speeding through the ruts, to drop Maze to second.
Paerson now has the edge against Goetschl in the race for the overall title, having four slaloms left while the Austrian has just three events in the speed disciplines to pick up points.
Paerson has 1,120 points with Goetschl at 1,108.
But Goetschl said she got a lift from her unexpected third place finish. The 2000 overall World Cup winner had reached a giant slalom podium only three times before in her career.
“Anja is in top form right now and difficult to beat,” said Goetschl. “But I’m not looking so closely to the overall World Cup title because she has the advantage.”
Paerson, who hails from the same town as Swedish slalom great Ingemar Stenmark, had no idea she had secured this season’s giant slalom cup until a reporter told her at the post-race news conference.
“I did not realize” she said, before raising both arms in a victory salute to the assembled journalists.
Caroline Lalive of the United States was third after the first run and was on course for a top-three finish until she tangled up her skis midway down the slope and crashed.
