PARK CITY, Utah (Reuters) - World champion Anja Paerson stormed to an emphatic victory in a World Cup giant slalom race on Friday. The Swede clocked a combined time of two minutes 27.14 seconds to leave her rivals in the shade. Austria's Nicole Hosp was a distant second, 1.42 seconds back, with Denise Karbon of Italy taking third.

Anja Paerson

Paerson, the strong favorite to take the overall World Cup title this year with fierce rival Janica Kostelic sidelined by ill health, was never threatened.

She carved out a 0.28-second advantage after the first leg and underlined her dominance with a powerful second run before launching herself across the snow in a trademark celebration.

Anja Paerson

After her second place in the opening race of the season in Soelden last month the 22-year-old, who hails from the same town as the great Swedish slalomist Ingemar Stenmark, has already taken a grip on the standings.

With World Cup champion Kostelic unlikely to compete in the near future because of a thyroid problem, Paerson appears to have no equal in the technical disciplines.

Denise Karbon

"I felt very good on that run," said Paerson, winner of the giant slalom gold medal at the St Moritz world championships in February. "The top was fast and I held my speed to the finish.

"My off-season training really helped," added the Swede. "I feel stronger than every before."

Maria Jose Rienda Contreras

Germany's Martina Ertl, who beat Paerson in Soelden, was eighth after a disappointing second run, although she holds second place in the standings, just ahead of Spain's Maria Jose Rienda Contreras who maintained her fine start with seventh spot.

Nicole Hosp

Hosp, the 20-year-old regarded as the next force in Austrian women's skiing, showed that she had recovered her form after failing to score any points in Soelden.

Anja Paerson

Anja Paerson and DeniseKarbon

She will have another crack at Paerson in Saturday's slalom, an event in which she won a bronze medal in at St Moritz.

By Eric Moffitt, Reuters, 28.11.2003