SCHLADMING, Austria (Reuters) - Finn Kalle Palander snatched his second straight victory in a World Cup slalom in emphatic fashion on Tuesday -- the last race before the world championships in St Moritz. Palander, who took a maiden World Cup victory at Kitzbuehel on Sunday to give Finland their first win on the tour, clocked a combined two-run time of one minute 45.41 seconds down the Planai piste.

Kalle Palander

Austria's Benjamin Raich, a winner here twice before, came second a massive 1.31 seconds off the pace, while Norway's Hans-Petter Buraas placed third in 1:46.74.

Benjamin Raich

American Bode Miller, sixth after the first run, squandered the chance to recapture the lead in the overall World Cup standings from Austrian Stephan Eberharter after an error-riddled second run sent him crashing out.

Defending World Cup slalom champion Ivica Kostelic of Croatia, a winner in Kranjska Gora, Bormio and Sestriere this season, just missed the podium, coming fourth in 1:46.97.

"It was a lot easier in Kitzbuehel," he said. "I had a whole lot to do to avoid mistakes in the second run. It felt like riding on a washboard."

There was also the problem with his ski.

"It was tough, especially because my stick broke ahead of the second run, so we had to build something," he said.

The 25-year-old Finn has established himself as a force for the upcoming world championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland.

Kalle Palander

"Of course, I am a favorite for the championships," he said. "It's normal if you win races. But it is another race, another day, and St. Moritz is a lot less steep. So many more competitors can win."

Raich's second-place finish should gave him a spot on Austria's slalom team for the worlds.

"It was a perfect day for me," he said.

In the overal standings, Eberharter has 965 points, followed by Miller (957) and Norway's Kjetil-Andre Aamodt (776).

In the slalom standings, Croatia's Ivica Kostelic leads with 478 points. Pallander (378) is second and Austria's Rainer Schoenfelder (320) is third.

The world championships begin on Sunday with a men's super-G.

Reuters, AP, 28.01.2003

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