ALPINE SKI. ARE, Sweden – For the second straight weekend, the women’s World Cup slalom proved again to be an exciting shake-up from what we’ve seen most of the season. This time the action took place amid schizophrenic weather in Are, Sweden and after Slovakian Veronika Zuzulova led after the first run on Saturday, was denied her first career victory by a mere 0.01 seconds as Olympic slalom champion Maria Hoefl-Riesch surged ahead for the win – her first in slalom in more than a year.

“I was so lucky with the hundredth. I feel so sorry for Veronika – she never had a win before – and she’s such a great skier,” Hoelf-Riesch said right after the race. “It’s bad luck for her but good luck for me.”

Also, taking the cue from her teammate last weekend, Canadian Marie-Michele Gagnon notched the first podium of her World Cup career, finishing third and finishing just 0.11 from the win.

FISalpine.com
Saturday 10 March 2012