Lienz, women’s slalom.

4th win for Anja Paerson.

Lienz, Austria, Dec.28th. Sweden's Anja Paerson proved once more how gutsy she can be in tense moments in winning her third World Cup slalom this season in Lienz after another impressive second run. She beat by 34/100 of a second Austria's shooting star Nicole Hosp a day after missing one of the last gates in the giant slalom dominated by her biggest rival. It’s her fourth victory this winter, her fifteenth in a World Cup race since December 1998!

Monika Bergmann-Schmuderer of Germany came third only 1/100 behind Hosp and her team-mate Annemarie Gerg was 4th. Quite a promising team result for the German team which has achieved solid performances in all events so far!
Monika reached for the fourth time a World Cup podium on her career.

Norway’s Trine Bakke-Rognmo, 5th, achieved her best result since being a mother two years ago. She won two slalom races in 1999 and in the year 2000.

As Martina Ertl only came in 11th, both Paerson and Hosp increased their lead in the overall World Cup standings. The Scandinavian’s advance on Hosp moved up to 110 points while Renate Goetschl, a surprising 2nd in Saturday’s giant slalom, is 3rd with a delay of 224 points.

A great duel on snow!

Since the US races in Park City, the technical events are marked by the fierce duel between Paerson and Hosp, the first to beat Anja in a slalom this season – ten days ago in Madonna di Campiglio. That day, she was also the first Austrian female to win a slalom since 1999!
24 hours after clinching the giant slalom, the only 20-year-old Hosp seemed ready for her second win in two days after dominating the first slalom run in which she beat Paerson by over half a second. But the Tyrolian obviously run out of gas at the end of her second run in which she lost much time on her rival – 98/100 of a second.
The skier from Taernaby could relax and enjoy her second victory in Lienz. “Despite my great second run, I was not sure about my chances – it’s only when Nicole crossed the line behind me that I knew I did it again” Paerson said after completing her trademark belly dive in the finish area in celebration. “Nicole’s skiing was superb. I did not think I could beat her again”.
Following exits in the previous two races, Paerson was more than relieved to win again. “This weekend was very tough” she added. “I was so nervous at the start today, because I am in great form, but I have been failing too often recently after skiing well – first in St Moritz in the downhill then yesterday!”
“I want to achieve so much this winter, because I know I am capable of it. I always try as hard as I can to win. This is definitely a big success.”
Hosp was a gracious 2nd
After winning the first leg, Hosp knew she had to take again all the risks to win, but she could not stay at her best level after Paerson set the second run's best time on an increasingly worsening slope. The Austrian was still in the lead at the intermediate time, but faded in the final part of the demanding slalom.

Yet Nicole Hosp was a gracious loser. “Anja is a great champion, and you can never rule her out” the Austrian said. “She was stronger today, that's it. I am very happy with my second place. You cannot be top every day, and I simply was not as aggressive as her. I was pretty tired from yesterday, not so much from the race than from giving so many interviews.”
“You can't always pull off a second run like the one I had in the opening leg or in Madonna, so second place is super. I wasn't skiing with my handbrake on, I just felt a bit tired” she added in reference to her slower final part. “But that's no excuse because the others are just as tired.”
Hosp, who exploded onto the World Cup circuit last year with victory in the season-opening giant slalom at Soelden and two medals at the 2003 Worlds in St Moritz, is enjoying spectacular form this season. She reached the podium in all six races she has finished after suffering a spectacular crash in Soelden fortunately without injuring herself. In Park City she skied out in the giant slalom.
With reigning overall World Cup champion Janica Kostelic sidelined from competition with health problems, the quiet and modest Nicole Hosp has become the toughest rival of Anja Paerson in the technical disciplines. Interestingly enough, the Swede is enjoying the great battle opposing the two ambitious competitors. “I said to Nicole after the first run that I hope we can race each other like this all season” Anja explained. “It's mentally tough, but it makes it more fun when you're being pushed by somebody the whole time. I just hope to keep my form for the remaining weeks and months because I spent much energy on the courses when I race”.
The 22-year-old Swede also said she still hopes to score points in the speed disciplines in order to reinforce her chances of clinching the overall standings. “I need to start to focus on the overall title now, Niki is so good that I've got to see if I can do something in the downhill otherwise it'll be very tough for the overall” Paerson added.
Anja missed a golden chance to win the last downhill in St Moritz after losing her balance in a high-speed left turn not far away from the finish line. She was the fastest skier at both intermediate times – but Austria’s Renate Goetschl was the winner at the end of the day.
Hosp does not compete in downhill or Super-G for the moment, but she is considering starting the possibility in the coming years to achieve her ambition to become a complete champion. Her greatest ski hero is the six-time overall World Cup winner Annemarie Moser-Proell who won a total of 62 World Cup events from 1970 to 1980!
The women return to racing after New Year at the French resort of Megêve for a Super-G on January 4th followed by a slalom on the 5th.

PL