St. MORITZ, Switzerland (Reuters) - Anja Paerson emerged from the shadow of Janica Kostelic to capture the gold medal in the women's giant slalom at the Alpine skiing world championships on Thursday. The 21-year-old Swede, who had to be content with giant slalom silver and slalom bronze at last year's Salt Lake City Games where Kostelic confiscated the most precious metal for both technical events, took a measure of revenge with two smooth runs down a treacherous course.

Anja Paerson

While Croatia's Kostelic was hit by more injury worries, Paerson, the defending slalom world champion and the winner of the last two giant slalom races on the World Cup circuit, held her nerve for a commanding victory.

Anja Paerson

After taking the lead with a faultless first run, she made a mistake in the second but still increased her advantage to take her first major title for the giant slalom.

Anja Paerson

"The second run was technically demanding and I was a bit nervous," she said. "That's why I made that mistake. But who cares? Now it's time to party."

Kostelic, the winner of the combined event here after taking painkillers to ease the discomfort from her injured right knee, ended 13th after two shaky runs and hurt her right shoulder during the second.

DISTANT SECOND

Officials said she had been taken to a nearby clinic for tests which would determine how serious the injury was and whether she could start the slalom here on Saturday.

Denise Karbon

Denise Karbon came a distant second 1.55 seconds back to offer Italy their first medal of the St. Moritz festival while another outsider, Canada's Allison Forsyth, completed an unexpected podium with the bronze, 1.79 seconds off the pace.

Forsyth, whose best results this season were two eighth places, extended a brilliant overall performance following Melanie Turgeon's surprise win in the downhill. "I didn't expect this but I had been working very hard for the last two weeks," said the previously unheralded 24-year-old.

"I like the conditions here," she said, referring to the extreme cold, yet relatively soft St. Moritz snow to which many big names have been struggling to adapt. "They are very similar to what we get back home."

The 22-year-old Karbon, who made her first World Cup podium this winter by placing third in Semmering, was equally bemused.

Fabienne Suter fall

NEF STRUGGLES

"I knew I could ski well and that I was in good form, but I never expected to get a medal," she said.

"Let's hope there's more to come."

There was disappointment not only for Kostelic but for several pre-race favorites, most notably Sonja Nef.

The defending world champion, who was looking forward to handing Switzerland their first gold of the championships, finished eighth after two error-ridden runs.

Anja Paerson

Paerson, who comes from the same Tarnaby village as Ingemar Stenmark and grew up admiring Pernilla Wiberg, proved worthy of a rich Swedish tradition to receive a welcome morale boost for Saturday's slalom.

Denise Karbon, Anja Paerson and Allison Forsyth

The final women's race of the championships should witness an exciting battle between the Swede and Kostelic, providing the Croatian phenomenon is fit enough to race.

By Patrick Vignal, Reuters, 13.02.2003