08/02/2004 12:55
   
Schoenfelder Edges Miller in Swiss Slalom   

ADELBODEN, Switzerland, AP - Austria's Rainer Schoenfelder edged Bode Miller on a snowy, blustery day to win a World Cup slalom for his first victory in a year.

Schoenfelder, third after the opening leg, made a strong second run Sunday for a combined time of 1 minute, 44.98 seconds.

"I was close to tears after I realized I won," Schoenfelder said. "I was never a good racer in bad conditions."

Miller charged from fourth after the opening leg to finish in 1:45.17, just 0.19 seconds behind. Austria's Benjamin Raich was third and took the lead in the overall standings. Miller's U.S. teammate Chip Knight was 20th.

Miller has struggled this year in slalom, with only one top-three result. He failed to finish four other slaloms this season.

"This is the way I like to ski slalom," Miller said. "My second run I was on the edge the whole way down. This is an incredibly difficult hill."

"Yesterday I came away with an empty feeling," he added. "I wanted to show what I could do on this hill today."

Miller, who went off the course in Saturday's giant slalom, is trying to gain on the speed specialists in the race for the overall title.

Raich moved into the overall lead with 985 points followed by two countrymen: Hermann Maier (954) and Stephan Eberharter (881). Miller is fourth (852).

Raich, winner of two slaloms this season, finished in 1:45.48. He nearly didn't race in Adelboden after sustaining a concussion and whiplash in last weekend's crash in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.

"I spent two days resting in a dark room," he said. "I feel so much better."

This was Schoenfelder's first victory since Shiga Kogen, Japan, late last February, where he shared first with Finland's Kalle Palander. This season he was a runner-up twice and third once.

Schoenfelder took the lead in the slalom standings with 455 points, with Raich dropping to second at 442.

Finland's Kalle Palander, the defending slalom World Cup champion and the winner of Saturday's race, went out in the first leg. Just half the racers finished the opening run.

By ERICA BULMAN, AP Sports Writer 

 
08/02/2004 12:41
 
Paerson wraps up slalom season title; Schleper fourth
 
ZWIESEL, Germany (AP) _ Anja Paerson of Sweden wrapped up her second World Cup season title in two days with the slalom crown Sunday, running away from the competition again in tough conditions. One day after clinching the giant slalom title, Paerson fought through steady snowfall and dark threatening skies to finish her two heats in a combined time of 1 minute, 29.58 seconds, 0.44 ahead of Monika Bergmann-Schmuderer of Germany. "I don't know what to feel _ it's overwhelming," Paerson said. "I wasn't trying to win any cups this year, just focus on each race." Paerson also has the edge in a tight race for the overall World Cup title with Austria's Renate Goetschl. Her eighth win this year gave the Swede 1,220 points, with her rival at 1,108. Goetschl will have to make up points with three races left in the speed disciplines favoring her and equally as many slaloms, Paerson's strength. Veronika Zuzulova was third in Sunday's race at 1:30.26, the first time the Slovakian has ever done better than 10th in the discipline and giving her country its first World Cup podium finish. Sarah Schleper of the United States was fourth in 1:30.64, with the Americans landing three skiers in the top 10. Resi Stiegler was eight and Kristina Koznick 10th. It was the Paerson's eight win this year, including three giant slaloms, and 20th of her career. Early in her career, she had a tendency to crash often, but Paerson says she has matured since. Paerson was never really threatened during Sunday's slalom, holding a .34 edge over Bergmann-Schmuderer after the first heat on the steep Arber World Cup slope, where the visibility was poor because of the steady snowfall. "I'm just out of my head happy," said Bergmann-Schmuderer of her best performance this year on her home slope. "Paerson is just the measure of all things right now, but the rest of us will keep trying." Paerson has dominated the slalom races this season, beating the competition by more than a second at times while claiming five of six races and wrapping up the title with three races left. Her performance drew praise from Swedish legend Ingemar Stenmark. Both skiers come from the ski resort of Tarneby. "She's unbelievable. I'm glad she wasn't skiing in my time because she would have been faster than me," Stenmark said. Paerson has been helped by a rash of injuries to her top competitors, with eight of the powerful Austrian women sidelined. The 22-year-old Swede crushed her rivals Saturday to wrap up the giant slalom title, winning by nearly two seconds at the steep Arber World Cup slope. Goetschl did not qualify for the second run Sunday. But the Austrian, far stronger in the speed events, was able to pick up some unexpected points in the battle for the overall title Saturday by taking third in the giant slalom. The next women's World Cup races will be held Feb. 21-22 on Paerson's home slope in Aare, Sweden.
results 
 

 
 
08/02/2004 11:41
   
Pranger leads after first run of slalom, sits poised to take first victory
 
ADELBODEN, Switzerland (AP) _ Austrian Manfred Pranger looked set to record his first career World Cup victory Sunday, posting the fastest time in the opening leg of a slalom. Pranger, known for his enraged grimace before he kicks out of the start, was one of the few skiers who appeared in control from the top to the bottom. He blitzed down the difficult and steep Kuonisbaergli course in 53.18 seconds and was followed by two other Austrians. Benjamin Raich, the World Cup slalom leader, was second-quickest, 0.76 back. Raich, who nearly skipped the races in Adelboden this weekend after suffering a concussion and whiplash in a crash in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, last weekend, has two slalom wins this season, one in Wengen and a night race in Schladming. Teammate Rainer Schoenfelder, third in the discipline rankings, sat third with 54.12. "It was on the limit but it was a great run," Pranger said. "I hope my second run is as strong. It's a very good slope, very straight." American Bode Miller, who went out in Saturday's giant slalom, crossed fourth with 1.29 to make up in the second leg. The first skier out of the start hut, Miller made several errors throughout his run, in particular on the lower section of the course. "The bottom was really icy and steep," Miller acknowledged. Miller is seeking to gain ground on the speed specialists in the race for the overall title. Finland's Kalle Palander, the defending slalom World Cup champion and the winner of Saturday's giant slalom, went out even before the first interval when he lost his coordination and was unable to recover. The course, renowned for its level of difficulty, saw just half of the racers finish. Just 39 of 76 skiers made it to the bottom. Another 37 either crashed, blew out or were disqualified. 
 

 
 
08/02/2004 10:55
 
Paerson first in slalom heat, close to season title
 
ZWIESEL, Germany (AP) _ Sweden's Anja Paerson grabbed the lead Sunday after the first heat of a women's slalom World Cup race and moved close to wrapping up the season title in the discipline. The Swede, needing just a podium finish to claim the slalom title, raced through a steady snowfall and dark threatening skies to finish in 43.09 seconds, well ahead of Germany's Bergmann-Schumderer at 43.43. Switzerland's Sonja Nef was third at 43.69. Paerson has dominated the slalom this year, beating the competition by more than a second at times while claiming five of six races and wrapping up the title with three races left. Her campaign has also been helped by a rash of injuries to her top competitiors, including eight to the powerful Austrian women. The 22-year-old Swede crushed her rivals Saturday to wrap up the season giant slalom title, winning by nearly two seconds at the steep Arber World Cup slope. Pearson is in a heated battle for Austria's Renate Goetschl for the overall title, clinging to a slim 12 point lead. Goetschl was well out of the running at 45.55, more than two seconds behind Paerson. The Austrian, far stronger in the speed events, was able to pick up some unexpected points in the battle for the overall title Saturday by taking third in the giant slalom. Americans Kristina KOznick and Sarah Schleper were 10th and 11th after the first heat. 
 

General Standing
 
World cup Leader

Raich Benjamin
28.02.1978 (Arzl im Pitzal)
Ski: Atomic
 
  Raich Benjamin  985
  Maier Hermann  954
  Eberharter Stefan  879
  Miller Bode  851
  Kjus Lasse  824
  Palander Kalle  726
  Rahlves Daron  694
  Walchhofer Michael  653
  Knauss Hans  629
  Schifferer Andreas  584
  
World cup Leader

Paerson Anja
25.04.1981 (Tarnaby)
Ski: Salomon
 
  Paerson Anja  1220
  Gotschl Renate  1108
  Gerg Hilde  870
  Montillet Carole  853
  Dorfmeister Michaela  806
  Riesch Maria  618
  Meissnitzer Alexandra  609
  Ertl Martina  606
  Hosp Nicole  566
  Clark Kirsten  456
 
Next Races

14.02.2004 St. Anton (AUT) DH
15.02.2004 St. Anton (AUT) SL
21.02.2004 Are (SWE) SG
22.02.2004 Are (SWE) GS
28.02.2004 Kranjska Gora (SLO) GS