Kostelic closes in on overall after super combi win in Hafjell

Kostelic closes in on overall after super combi win in Hafjell{mosimage}HAFJELL, Norway – Janica Kostelic edged Anja Paerson by 0.13 seconds to win a women’s World Cup combined on Saturday and close in on the overall title.

The 24-year-old Croatian had a combined time of 2 minutes, 06.92 seconds for the two disciplines – first a super G on the Kringelasen course, then a slalom on a nearby hill.

Paerson, the two-time defending World Cup champion, posted the fastest slalom time, but it wasn’t enough. The Swede, who won the Olympic slalom gold at the Torino Games, trailed Kostelic and Michaela Dorfmeister by .41 after the super G.

It was Kostelic’s 26th career World Cup victory and sixth this season – a sweet return after illness derailed her Olympics. She withdrew from the Games after her triumph in the combined made her the most successful women’s racer in Olympic history with a career total of four gold medals.

Kostelic did not attend a postrace press conference because of a back problem and she returned to her hotel room to rest, organizers said.

“I didn’t know she had a back problem,” said Paerson, whose sore knees are likely to require surgery after the season ends in two weeks.

Paerson hopes to compete in two World Cup slaloms next weekend at Levi, Finland.

“It’s day-to-day,” she said. “Right now, my knees are in pretty good shape and I think I will go to Finland next week if nothing happens tomorrow [in the giant slalom].”

This was the first time a World Cup combined consisted of a super G and a slalom. Normally it’s downhill and slalom.

“Any kind of combined is cool,” Paerson said. “I think every day is a combined for me because I change skis every day. I don’t mind really.

“I think the super combined is pretty good because it’s just a one-run slalom and it gives the speed skiers a better chance. I think the super combined is something that will stay. For me, it’s better than the normal combined with the two-run slalom.”

Paerson said she had some problems in the super G.

“I burned the skis pretty bad in the midsection and I couldn’t really release the skis in the lower part,” she said. “That’s why I lost a lot of time. I was four-tenths behind [Kostelic] and it’s a pretty easy slalom course. It was hard to make up. But I’m very happy that my [slalom] shape is that good.”

Dorfmeister, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the speed events last month, managed only 35th in the slalom and dropped to 15th.

Her Austrian teammate, Marlies Schild, made the last podium spot, finishing third in 2:07.57 after clocking the second-fastest slalom time behind Paerson. Kostelic had the third-fastest slalom time.

American Lindsey Kildow, who shared the win with Dorfmeister and Nadia Styger of Switzerland in an unprecedented three-way tie in Friday’s super G, finished fourth in 2:08.31.

The series at Hafjell, where most of the women’s alpine ski events were held during the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics, ends Sunday with a giant slalom.

With only two GS races left, Paerson can clinch the season title by finishing ahead of Spain’s Maria Jose Rienda at Hafjell.

“The first time I won the GS cup was here in Hafjell [in 2003], and it would be fun to take it again and do it in the same place,” Paerson said.

Two slalom races are scheduled next weekend at Levi, Finland, before the season-ending World Cup Finals at Are, Sweden, March 15-19.

-The Associated Press

Women’s combined (SG/SL)
Hafjell-Kvitfjell, Norway
March 4, 2006
1. Janica Kostelic, CRO 2:06.92
2. Anja Paerson, SWE 2:07.05
3. Marlies Schild, AUT 2:07.57
4. Lindsey Kildow, USA 2:08.31
5. Kathrin Zettel, AUT 2:08.45
6. Nicole Hosp, AUT 2:08.57
7. Martina Ertl-Renz, GER 2:09.14
8. Anna Ottosson, SWE 2:09.46
9. Elisabeth Goergl, AUT 2:09.46
10. Brigitte Acton, CAN 2:09.75
11. Julia Mancuso, USA 2:09.81
11. Jessica Lindell-Vikarby, SWE 2:09.81
13. Michaela Kirchgasser, AUT 2:09.89
14. Andrea Fischbacher, AUT 2:09.98
15. Michaela Dorfmeister, AUT 2:10.22
16. Fanny Chmelar, GER 2:10.27
17. Petra Robnik, SLO 2:10.55
18. Resi Stiegler, USA 2:10.93
19. Tanja Poutiainen, FIN 2:10.97
20. Manuela Moelgg, ITA 2:11.05
21. Fraenzi Aufdenblatten, SUI 2:11.14
22. Tina Maze, SLO 2:11.18
23. Marie Marchand-Arvier, FRA 2:11.62
24. Daniela Merighetti, ITA 2:11.86
25. Nadia Styger, SUI 2:11.87
26. Chimene Alcott, GBR 2:11.98
27. Sandrine Aubert, FRA 2:12.33
28. Ana Drev, SLO 2:12.39
29. Veronika Zuzulova, SVK 2:12.62
30 Aurelie Santon, FRA 2:12.81
Other North Americans:
32. Stacey Cook, USA 2:13.09
DNS SL: Genevieve SImard, Kelly VanderBeek, CAN.
DNF SL: Emily Brydon, CAN.

THE SCOOP
By Hank McKee

Equipment
Women’s Combind, Hafjell-Kvitfjell, March 4, 2006
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1. Kostelic, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
2. Paerson, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
3. Schild, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
4. Kildow, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
5. Zettel, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
6. Hosp, Volkl/Fischer/Marker
7. Ertl-Renz, Rossignol/Nordica/Rossignol
8. Ottosson, Dynastar/Lange/Tyrolia
9. Goergl, Blizzard/Lange/Marker
10. Acton, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol

Women’s Super Combined Hafjell-Kvitfjell, Norway, March 4, 2006 (SG/SL). … It is the 29th event of the women’s 34 race, two combined World Cup schedule. … It is the second of two scheduled combineds. … It is the second of three scheduled events during the Hafjell-Kvitfjell stop. … There are two giant slaloms, three slaloms, a downhill and a super G remaining on the schedule.

It is the 27th career World Cup win for Janica Kostelic. … She steps above a tie with Michaela Figini at eighth among women on the all-time win list. … It is her sixth combined win in eight completed. … She has never finished a World Cup combined in worse that fourth place. … It is her seventh win of the season, including the combined gold medal at the Olympics. … It is her third combined win of the season in three attempts. … She placed in a tie for first in the SG leg (with Michaela Dorfmeister) and was third in the slalom.

It is the 66th career podium for Anja Paerson. … And her third career second place result in World Cup combineds in three completed. … It is her 14th podium of the season, including three Olympic medals. … It is the second time this season she has finished second to Kostelic in combined (was third behind Kostelic and Marlies Schild in the Olympic combined. … She was third in the SG and won the slalom.

It is the 20th career World Cup podium for Marlies Schild. … her first in (World Cup) combined. … It is her ninth podium of the season including two Olympic medals. … She was fifth in the SG and fifth in the slalom.

It is the 17th time Lindsey Kildow (4th SG, 12th SL) has finished in the top four of a World Cup event. … the fifth time she has finished fourth. … She was third in the only other combined of the World Cup season, at St Moritz Jan. 22. … It is her seventh top four result of the season and 16th top 10 including two Olympic finishes. … Tenth matches a career best World Cup result for Brigitte Acton (11th SG, 17th SL). … She was also 10th in combined at Sansicario in 2005. … The result also matches her best result from this season, also in combined and also at Sansicario, but in Olympic competition. … It is the 30th career top 11 result for Julia Mancuso (7th SG, 21st SL) in World Cup competition. … It is her 15th top 11 result of the season including four Olympic results, highlighted by the gold medal in GS. … She was ninth in the Olympic combined. … It is the 19th career top 20 World Cup result for Resi Stiegler (34th SG, 7th SL). … Her eighth top 20 of the season including two Olympic results. … She was 11th in the Olympic combined.

Janica Kostelic stretches her lead in the World Cup overall standings 1500-1241 over Anja Paerson with seven races remaining. … Michaela Dorfmeister is third at 1178 and the top American is Lindsey Kildow in fourth at 857. … Kostelic leads the final combined standings 200-160 over Paerson with Kildow third at 110. … Winning margin is .13 of a second. … Top three are within the same second. … Top six within two seconds. … Bibiana Perez of Italy won the only other World Cup combined at Hafjell-Kvitfjell in 1993.