There's just something about Aspen that clicks for Sarka Zahrobska. The Czech defended her 2008 victory in Sunday's Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup slalom, beating the first run field by more than a second, then winning the race outright.

Though the 24-year-old has several podiums and three world championship medals to her credit (including gold in Are 2007), Zahrobska has only won two World Cups ... both in Aspen.

"I really don't know why I'm so successful in Aspen, but I'm happy for that," she said. "To win the race you have to have many things [happen at] one moment."

Zahrobska was one of very few racers to discover this formula on Sunday. Others who found the right mix of factors included second place finisher Marlies Schild, who landed her first podium since coming back from a broken leg (sustained in giant slalom training in Soelden in 2008) and third-place fellow Austrian Kathrin Zettel, who also took second in Saturday's GS.

Schild said she had tears in her eyes thinking about the state she was in a year ago compared to now, when she is once again on the podium, just over half a second away from victory.

"I'm so happy about it," Schild said. "It was a very difficult course, the slope was difficult today. A lot of people [did] not finish but I tried not to think about it and just 'ski and have fun.'"

The course in Aspen was unforgiving for several competitors. About one third of the first-run starters - 24 racers altogether - either crashed or missed gates and those that finished agreed that the course was extremely icy and difficult to master.

"The first run course was much more turny and really icy," Zahrobska said. "The second run, I don't think it was much easier. But if you want to win you have to know how to ski on every [kind of] snow. I had good skis for this icy slope."

Lindsey Vonn was thrown off the course in the first run. "I got caught on my inside ski and boot-locked; it shot me out of the course," Vonn said after the first run. "This is a really tough hill. It's steep, it's contantly changing, twisting and turning. I came in well-prepared and positive, but sometimes things just don't go your way."

One of the more heartening stories of the day came from French racer Anne-Sophie Barthet. Wearing bib No. 58, Barthet finished sixth (after German sisters Susanne and Maria Riesch, who were fourth and fifth, respectively) for her best result ever, following up on Saturday's 11th place in the GS wearing bib No. 55. Aspen holds a special significance for the all-event racer, because it was here that Barthet broke her leg racing downhill in December 2007.

"Today is a personal victory and also a collective one," Barthet said after the race Sunday. "At first the surgeons said I wouldn't be able to ski again but now I'm here and it's really good revenge on this slope. I really wanted to make something here today and yesterday to prove that I don't fear this slope. It's mine."

Barthet celebrated her amazing finish with a Hannah Montana-inspired dance in the finish area.

The Audi FIS women's Ski World Cup continues Friday, Saturday and Sunday with two downhill races and a super-G in Lake Louise.

By Shauna Farnell
Ski Racing Magazine www.skiracing.com
29/11/2009