Maribor: Hosp keeps overall lead with slalom win
Overall points leader Nicole Hosp charged to her fourth podium and second win of the season on Sunday in the slalom race in Maribor, Slovenia.
The 24-year-old Austrian carved down the Radvanje course in poor weather conditions with a two-run combined time of one minute, 40.55 seconds, nearly half a second ahead of Slovakia’s veteran Veronika Zuzulova who posted a total time of 1:41.01.
Austria’s Marlies Schild took the first step in recovering from a pair of DNFs with her third win at Spindleruv Myln last weekend, and then added another podium Sunday, placing third with a time of 1:41.06. Slalom world champion Sarka Zahrobska of the Czech Republic and Finland’s Tanja Poutiainen finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
OVERALL POINTS leader Nicole Hosp charged to her fourth podium and second win of the season on Sunday in the slalom race in Maribor, Slovenia.
The 24-year-old Austrian carved down the Radvanje course in poor weather conditions with a two-run combined time of one minute, 40.55 seconds, nearly half a second ahead of Slovakia’s veteran Veronika Zuzulova who posted a total time of 1:41.01. It matched a career-best result for Zuzulova after she finished second last week in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic.
''It was really tough today. The snow was not good but organizers did their best. I am happy with both my runs,'' said Hosp, who claimed her second slalom win of the season after winning in Aspen, Colorado, in December.
Austria’s Marlies Schild took the first step in recovering from a pair of DNFs with her third win at Spindleruv Myln last weekend, and then added another podium Sunday, placing third with a time of 1:41.06. Slalom world champion Sarka Zahrobska of the Czech Republic and Finland’s Tanja Poutiainen finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
Zuzulova said she was surprised by her second place.
"I was very keen at the start of both my runs, but was a bit loose in the lower part,'' Zuzulova said. ''It is a great result for me. Two second places in one week hopefully means that my first victory is not far away any more.''
The snow on the Radvanje course became soft due to high temperatures all week and rain on Sunday morning, and FIS officials ordered the course had to be partly fortified before the start of the slalom race.
“It was far from easy as the rain had severely damaged the course, but I went very fast in the lower part,” Hosp said.
Lindsey Vonn had the top result for the Americans with a 17th place finish. Julia Mancuso was the only other American to place in the top 30, finishing 24th.
"Lindsey came from starting 31st in the first run to be 15th, and that was a solid run. And Jules just was hammered in that first run with a downpour and could hardly see, so for her to qualify was good, too. But they both struggled to find the rhythm in the second run," U.S. tech coach Chris Knight said.
"This was a tough day all around. At least the rain stopped when they got into the 20s in the first run or it would have been a really long day," he joked.
Sweden’s Anja Paerson — who has won seven of the past eight races contested on the Pohorje (GS) and Radvanje (slalom) race courses in Maribor — finished in 15th.
“The weather made it really difficult. It was even hard to see the course properly,” Paerson said.
Hosp refused to speculate about winning the crystal globe again this season.
''It's much too early for that. We still have two months of races ahead of us, so it would be premature to say anything about it,'' Hosp said.
Hosp leads the overall standings with 699 points. Schild and Maria Riesch share second with 574 points, while Lindsey Vonn is fourth with 538.
— The Associated Press contributed to this story
The SCOOP
By Hank McKee
Equipment
Women's Slalom, Maribor, Slovenia, Jan. 13, 2008
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Hosp, Volkl/Fischer/Marker
2 Zuzulova, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
3 Schild, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
4 Zahrobska, Head/Head/Tyrolia
5 Poutiainen, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker
6 Gini, Head/Lange/Head
7 Riesch, Head/Lange/Tyrolia
8 Borssen, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
9 Costazza, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
10 Kirchgasser, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
Women's slalom, Maribor, Slovenia, Jan. 13, 2008. … It is the 18th race of the women's 39 event 2008 World Cup schedule. … It is the sixth of ten scheduled slaloms. … It is the 56th race held at Maribor and the 31st slalom, but the first since 2005. … Anja Paerson has won the last four slaloms at Maribor and Swedes the last seven of eight.
It is the 11th career World Cup win for Nicole Hosp. … Her fourth in slalom. … It is her second win of the season having previously won the Aspen slalom Dec. 9. … It is the 11th win of the season for Austria with just Hosp, Marlies Schild and Michael Walchhofer having multiple wins. … It is her first win, and fourth podium scored at Maribor.
Veronika Zuzulova matches her career best result and scores her sixth World Cup podium. … It is her second podium of the season having also been second in slalom at Spinderluv Mlyn Jan. 6. … She has been in the top ten of all six slaloms this season, top six in five of them. …
It is the 42nd career World Cup podium for Marlies Schild. … Her 29th in slalom. … It is her sixth podium of the season, and fourth in slalom with the other three being wins. … It is her second career podium at Maribor having placed second in slalom Jan. 25, 2004. … She had been sixth after the first run.
It is a career best slalom result for Lindsey Vonn, the previous best a 25th at Lienz Dec. 29. … She has just four slalom scoring results, all of them from this season. … It is the 26th slalom scoring result for Julia Mancuso. … Her fourth of the season. … And her fourth career result in all disciplines at Maribor. …
Winning margin is .46 of a second. … Top three are within the same second. … Top 12 within two seconds. … Hosp extends her lead in the overall standings to 699-584 over Maria Riesch (7th in race). … Marlies Schild moves to third at 574 and Vonn slips to fourth at 538. … Tanja Poutiainen is fifth at 533 and Julia Mancuso sixth at 523. … Hosp gains the lead in the slalom standings 405-360 over Marlies Schild. … Veronika Zuzulova moves to third at 311 with Poutiainen fourth at 307. … The injured Resi Stiegler still holds the top position on the slalom list for the U.S. in 11th with 111pts.
Austria leads the women's Nations Cup 3202-1637 over Italy with the U.S. in third at 1337. … Germany is fourth at 1131 and Sweden fifth at 1117.
| Rank | Bib | FIS Code | Name | Year | Nation | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total Time | FIS Points |
| 1 | 2 | 55690 | HOSP Nicole | 1983 | AUT | 48.56 | 51.99 | 1:40.55 | 0.00 |
| 2 | 6 | 705287 | ZUZULOVA Veronika | 1984 | SVK | 48.91 | 52.10 | 1:41.01 | 2.79 |
| 3 | 1 | 55590 | SCHILD Marlies | 1981 | AUT | 49.64 | 51.42 | 1:41.06 | 3.09 |
| 4 | 3 | 155415 | ZAHROBSKA Sarka | 1985 | CZE | 49.33 | 52.32 | 1:41.65 | 6.67 |
| 5 | 4 | 185140 | POUTIAINEN Tanja | 1980 | FIN | 49.30 | 52.56 | 1:41.86 | 7.95 |
| 6 | 28 | 515619 | GINI Sandra | 1982 | SUI | 50.01 | 52.08 | 1:42.09 | 9.34 |
| 7 | 13 | 206001 | RIESCH Maria | 1984 | GER | 50.16 | 52.00 | 1:42.16 | 9.77 |
| 8 | 5 | 505610 | BORSSEN Therese | 1984 | SWE | 49.85 | 52.44 | 1:42.29 | 10.56 |
| 9 | 11 | 296354 | COSTAZZA Chiara | 1984 | ITA | 50.03 | 52.29 | 1:42.32 | 10.74 |
| 10 | 12 | 55759 | KIRCHGASSER Michaela | 1985 | AUT | 49.49 | 53.00 | 1:42.49 | 11.77 |
| 11 | 25 | 515639 | CAMASTRAL Aita | 1983 | SUI | 50.16 | 52.34 | 1:42.50 | 11.83 |
| 12 | 24 | 205993 | HOELZL Kathrin | 1984 | GER | 50.23 | 52.31 | 1:42.54 | 12.07 |
| 13 | 34 | 206160 | RIESCH Susanne | 1987 | GER | 51.09 | 51.60 | 1:42.69 | 12.98 |
| 14 | 15 | 425771 | LOESETH Nina | 1989 | NOR | 50.48 | 52.23 | 1:42.71 | 13.10 |
| 15 | 9 | 505483 | PAERSON Anja | 1981 | SWE | 50.80 | 51.94 | 1:42.74 | 13.29 |
| 16 | 36 | 296509 | CURTONI Irene | 1985 | ITA | 50.77 | 52.11 | 1:42.88 | 14.14 |
| 17 | 31 | 537544 | VONN Lindsey | 1984 | USA | 50.29 | 52.63 | 1:42.92 | 14.38 |
| 18 | 39 | 206099 | PERNER Nina | 1986 | GER | 51.20 | 51.77 | 1:42.97 | 14.68 |
| 19 | 29 | 515733 | BONJOUR Aline | 1985 | SUI | 51.17 | 51.99 | 1:43.16 | 15.83 |
| 20 | 35 | 55888 | TRIENDL Katrin | 1987 | AUT | 50.95 | 52.22 | 1:43.17 | 15.89 |
| 21 | 26 | 206035 | CHMELAR Fanny | 1985 | GER | 50.53 | 52.78 | 1:43.31 | 16.74 |
| 22 | 10 | 195912 | DE LEYMARIE Florine | 1981 | FRA | 50.30 | 53.03 | 1:43.33 | 16.87 |
| 23 | 32 | 55576 | GOERGL Elisabeth | 1981 | AUT | 51.32 | 52.19 | 1:43.51 | 17.96 |
| 24 | 17 | 537545 | MANCUSO Julia | 1984 | USA | 50.65 | 52.93 | 1:43.58 | 18.38 |
| 25 | 38 | 425432 | MUELLER Anne Marie | 1980 | NOR | 51.07 | 52.65 | 1:43.72 | 19.23 |
| 26 | 48 | 206078 | FERNSEBNER Carolin | 1986 | GER | 51.28 | 52.47 | 1:43.75 | 19.41 |
| 27 | 23 | 385027 | FLEISS Nika | 1984 | CRO | 51.03 | 52.76 | 1:43.79 | 19.66 |
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Did not start 1st run :
NOVAKOVIC Zana (BIH), TRMCIC Marija (SRB)
Did not finish 1st run :
HULTDIN Kristina (SWE), MIHOVILOVIC Nina-Katarina (SLO), MCJAMES Megan (USA), GASIENICA DANIEL Agnieszka (POL), RUBENS Shona (CAN), LOESETH Lene (NOR), DREV Ana (SLO), STUHEC Ilka (SLO), SPRINGL Monika (GER), AUBERT Sandrine (FRA), MOELGG Manuela (ITA), ZETTEL Kathrin (AUT)
Did not finish 2nd run :
GIUS Nicole (ITA), KARBON Denise (ITA), BERGMANN Monika (GER)
Disqualified 1st run :
GOODMAN Anna (CAN)
Did not qualify 2nd run :
BERECZ Anna (HUN), SCHNARF Johanna (ITA), NOVOSELIC Sofija (CRO), PERSYN Karen (BEL), CERESA Annalisa (ITA), GANTNEROVA Jana (SVK), KURFUERSTOVA Eva (CZE), LOLOVIC Jelena (SRB), ZAKOURILOVA Petra (CZE), GRAND Rabea (SUI), HONKONEN Jessica (FIN), JAZBEC Katja (SLO), NIGG Marina (LIE), STRENG Simone (AUT), BRODNIK Vanja (SLO), SMED Veronica (SWE), FERK Marusa (SLO), DUERR Katharina (GER), DAUTHERIVES Claire (FRA), KARASINSKA Katarzyna (POL), HANSDOTTER Frida (SWE), PIETILAE-HOLMNER Maria (SWE), JELUSIC Ana (CRO)
About the Author: Pete Rugh
