29/02/2004 12:25 LEVI, Finland (AP) _ Germany's Maria Riesch overcame a near fall midway down the second run Sunday to beat runner-up Elisabeth Goergl of Austria by 0.32 seconds and win her first career World Cup slalom. Skiing in extreme weather conditions, with a temperature of minus 23 degrees Celsius (minus 9 Fahrenheit), Riesch had a combined time of 1 minute, 43.75 seconds down the Levi Black course, north of the Arctic Circle. Riesch, who led after the first run, lost her balance on the steep part of the course, but recovered nicely. Her previous best in the slalom was a third in Saturday's race on the same hill. Last month, the 19-year-old German won her first two World Cup races, a downhill and a super-G at Haus Im Ennstal, Austria. "I'm so happy today," Riesch said. "I didn't really expect (victory) before I came here. I'm looking forward to the last races, I'm in good shape now and really self confident." Martina Ertl of Germany was third and Kristina Koznick of the United States fourth while Sweden's Anja Paerson skied out on the steep part with only a few gates left. It was the first slalom she failed to finish this season. Renate Goetschl again failed to qualify for the second run, retiring after only a few gates. The Austrian, who scores most of her points in the speed races, trails Paerson by 173 points in the overall standings. Tanja Poutiainen's victory Saturday snapped Paerson's four-race winning streak in the discipline. The Swede, who has already clinched the slalom and giant slalom season titles, had to settle for fourth as she missed the podium for the first time of the season. Going into the last four races laer this month at the World Cup Finals at Sestriere, Italy, Paerson leads Goetschl 1,381 points to 1,208. Montillet is third at 933.

Tanja Poutiainen

Finn wins on home hill; snaps Paerson's winning streak

28/02/2004 13:30. LEVI, Finland (AP) _ Tanja Poutiainen, skiing on the northern Finnish hill where she honed her slalom skills, won the first World Cup slalom of her career on Saturday. The 23-year-old Finn, who grew up in Rovaniemi, south of Levi, had a combined time of 1 minute, 49.12 seconds down the Levi Black course. Her previous best was two second places last season. Poutiainen's victory snapped Anja Paerson's four-race winning streak in the discipline. The Swede missed the podium for the first time this season, finishing fourth in 1:49.50. Elisabeth Goergl of Austria placed second, 0.18 behind, and Maria Riesch of Germany third, 0.33 back. For Paerson, it was the worst finish of the season. The 22-year-old Swede, who had already clinched the slalom and giant slalom season titles, won six of the previous World Cup slaloms and finished runner-up in another. Still, her fourth-place finish enabled her to extend the overall lead to 173 points with only five races left, including three in gate races which she has dominated this winter. Renate Goetschl's gamble of entering the slalom didn't pay off as the Austrian finished 42nd out of 46 skiers who completed the opening run. The top 30 qualified for the second run. Goetschl, who scores most of her points in the speed races, is chasing Paerson for the overall title. Paerson, who has clinched the slalom and giant slalom season titles, led Goetschl by 123 points going into Saturday's race. Goetschl began her racing career as a slalom skier and won a race in that discipline in only her second World Cup race in 1993. But this season, she has only scored points in one of her four slalom races. The competition was held in extremely cold weather at this ski resort north of the Arctic Circle with a temperature of minus 23 degrees Celsius (minus 9 Fahrenheit) in the morning run. "But it didn't bother me, I'm used to it," said Paerson, who grew up in the small northern Swedish village of Tarnaby near the Arctic Cicle. 

Tanja Poutiainen
 
Poutiainen Caps Historic Day for Finland  
Sat Feb 28, 7:50 AM ET, Reuters 
 
LEVI, Finland (Reuters) - Tanja Poutiainen marked an historic day for Finnish Alpine skiing with victory in a World Cup slalom race in Lapland on Saturday.

  
The first World Cup race to be held in Finland attracted thousands of fans to the picture postcard venue deep in the Arctic Circle and they were rewarded as local favorite Poutiainen won in one minute 49.12 seconds. It was also the first World Cup victory of her career.

Overall World Cup leader Anja Paerson, winner of six of the previous seven slaloms this season, had a rare day off as she finished fourth.

Elisabeth Goergl of Austria was second with 1:49.30 and Germany's Maria Riesch was third with 1:49.45.

"This is a dream come true," an emotional Poutiainen said in the finish area after holding her nerve with a solid second run to protect her advantage from the first leg.

"I was so pleased when I found out they would hold a World Cup race here because this is my home ground. I'm so happy to get my first victory in Finland in front of my home fans."

Paerson, untouchable at the top of the slalom standings, was not too worried about missing the podium.

"I can't ski my best every day," said the Swede who still bolstered her lead at the top of the overall standings from Renate Goetschl.

Paerson held a 123-point advantage before the race and with the Austrian speed specialist failing to make the halfway cut she widened the gap with another slalom to come on Sunday.

Maria Riesch's third place was her first podium in the technical events, the 19-year-old German underlining her emergence as future challenger for the overall title.