LA MOLINA, Spain - Tanja Poutiainen of Finland won her eighth World Cup race on Saturday, edging Manuela Moelgg of Italy by 0.02 seconds in the giant slalom to take the overall standings lead.

Tanja Poutiainen, of Finland, speeds down the course during the first run of an alpine ski, World Cup Women's giant slalom, in La Molina, Spain, Saturday Dec.13, 2008. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Poutiainen posted the fastest second run of one minute 9.02 seconds down the Cerdanya Catalunya course for a combined time of 2:16.76 for victory. Kathrin Zettel of Austria, the leader after the first run, wiped out after catching an edge on her second run.

"For sure, I wouldn't like to win like this, that someone who goes out who is leading," Poutiainen said. "But this is alpine skiing and you make mistakes. A victory is victory."

Nicole Hosp of Austria took third in 2:17.41 for her 45th World Cup podium finish.

Nicole Hosp, of Austria, speeds down the course during the first run of an alpine ski, World Cup Women's giant slalom, in La Molina, Spain, Saturday Dec.13, 2008. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Neither of the two Canadians in the race made it to the second run.

Genevieve Simard of Val-Morin, Que., missed qualifying for the second run by 0.14 seconds, settling for 32nd. Marie-Michele Gagnon of Lac-Etchemin, Que., in her first career World Cup event, was 48th in the opening run.

Poutiainen stayed atop the overall giant slalom standings with 260 points and moved past Lindsey Vonn - who was disqualified for running off the course - in the overall race with 360 points. That's two more than Vonn, the defending overall champion.

Poutiainen downplayed her chances in the overall race since she only competes in slalom and giant slalom. Still, she was happy that her first giant slalom victory since March 2007 opened up a gap in the standings over Zettel.

"It's amazing, the red bib is the red bib and it's not easy for sure," Poutiainen said. "I just focus race to race, there are still a lot of races to go and it will be very tight like today."

Poutiainen said the changing light had made navigating the one-kilometre course difficult, especially at the turn into the steep section. Zettel, Anja Paerson of Sweden and 2007 giant slalom champion Denise Karbon of Italy all crashed out there.

"I didn't know where the others had gone out or had problems, I just focused on my race," Poutiainen said. "I knew where the light and visibility was changing and I was aware. Especially in the morning it was really difficult visibility which makes it very challenging, which is what I like. This is the World Cup, it shouldn't be easy."

The 28-year-old Finn, whose last victory was in February at a slalom race in Zagreb, Croatia, put together a more complete second run after slowing slightly in the bottom section of the first.

"I found a really good fighting feeling and I just let it run even if I didn't see so well," she said.

The 25-year-old Moelgg earned her fifth podium finish, but was denied her first World Cup victory after a second run of 1:09.49. The Italian had the second fastest time after Zettel in the opening run.

"I'm very happy with second," Moelgg said.

Austrian pair Elisabeth Goergl and Michaela Kirchgasser rounded out the top five. Olympic giant slalom champion Julia Mancuso was 18th, just under three seconds behind Poutiainen.

Vonn was disqualified after running off course in the first run and will have to wait in her bid to become only the fifth woman skier to win events in all five disciplines.

"There was a big roller there and that just saw me go off with a little too much direction, and I just couldn't get it back to the gate," Vonn said. "The course was much more aggressive than it originally looked."

The 24-year American will have to wait in her bid to become only the fifth woman skier to win events in all five disciplines.

"It's not a very normal mistake for me. It's disappointing," said Vonn, who will go for her second slalom victory of the season on Sunday.

Swiss teenager Laura Gut finished sixth. Maria Pietilae-Holmner of Sweden was seventh to move into third in the overall cup standings with 232 points.

Lara Gut, of Switzerland, speeds down the course during the first run of an alpine ski, World Cup Women's giant slalom, in La Molina, Spain, Saturday Dec.13, 2008. (AP Photo/ArmandoTrovati)

Zettel is second in the giant slalom standings with 145 points, while Tessa Worley of France is third with 132.

It was the first-ever World Cup event held in Spain's Pyrenees mountains, and Poutiainen collected a leg of cured ham along with the winner's trophy.

"It's too big this ham for myself," she said. "I think I'll bring it to ski room and let those guys also enjoy it."

By Paul Logothetis
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sat, December 13, 2008

Tanja Poutiainen, of Finland, reacts as she stands on the podium after winning an alpine ski, World Cup Women's giant slalom, in La Molina, Spain, Saturday Dec.13, 2008. (AP Photo/Armando Trovati)

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