World Cup Leader Anja Paerson of Sweden hung-up the second-fastest final run Tuesday and won the second World Cup slalom of the season by.81 over Laure Pequegnot of France. Kristina Koznick (Eagan, MN) led four U.S. women into the top 30 as she finished fifth with Sarah Schleper Vail, CO) 11th in the sunny but 20-degree weather.

In a race moved from Spindleruv Mlyn in the Czech Republic, Paerson - who won the first slalom last month at the Chevy Truck America's Opening in Park City, Utah - overtook first-run leader Pequegnot to win in 1:40.58. Pequegnot held on to second in 1:41.49 with Austrian Nicole Hosp third (1:41.78).

Koznick, 10th in the first run, finished in a time of 1:42.02 with Schleper, eighth in the first run, 11th in 1:42.37. Resi Stiegler (Jackson Hole, WY) rocketed out of 44th start to finish 13th in the first run but made a couple of small mistakes and fell to 25th place (1:44.35) while Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA) had to hike a gate and finished 28th, but almost 24 seconds behind Paerson, so she received no World Cup points.

Happy for second shot at the hill
"All in all, it was a good day," said women's SL/GS Head Coach Wolfi Erharter. "And they're psyched to be racing here [Wednesday in a race shifted from Vratna, Slovakia because of no snow.

"We're pretty happy about today but the girls are also angry because they say, 'I can achieve more.' They're hungry to do better, and that's good."

Koznick, who injured a hip before the season opener, had her second straight strong result, following her 15th-place finish Saturday in a giant slalom in Alta Badia. "The hip doesn't bother Kristina in slalom, so this was good for her confidence," Erharter said.

"The big surprise was how well she did in GS and now this goes on top of that, so she's anxious for [Wednesday]."

Hard snow added to confidence
The cold weather helped the course stay rock-solid, he said, which was good for the racers because of the steepness and their ability to set an edge on their skis. "As Resi and Julia [No. 48 start] showed in that first run, you could come from the back, from outside the first 40 starters.

"We always say it's about putting together two runs, and they did it. Resi was angry with her mistakes on the second run after she really ripped in the first run," the coach said, "but that's okay. She was going hard for it and on a hill this steep, you can be haunted by your mistakes because you can't make up for them."

WOMEN'S ALPINE WORLD CUP
Women's SL-1 (Moved from Spindleruv Mlyn, CZE)

1. Anja Paerson, Sweden, 1:40.68
2. Laure Pequegnot, France, 1:41.49
3. Nicole Hosp, Austria, 1:41.78
4. Christel Pascal, France, 1:41.87
5. Kristina Koznick, Eagan, Minn., 1:42.02

Other U.S. skiers

11. Sarah Schleper, Vail, Colo., 1:42.37
25. Resi Stiegler, Jackson Hole, Wyo., 1:44.35
28. Julia Mancuso, Olympic Valley, Calif., 2:04.40

Did not qualify for 2nd run: Jessica Kelley, Starksboro, Vt.; Kaylin Richardson, Edina, Minn.

WORLD CUP STANDINGS (8 races)

1. Paerson, 430 points
2. Carole Montillet, France, 266
3. Martina ertl, Germany, 240
4. Hosp, 220
5. Renate Goetschl, Austria, 206

U.S. skiers

12. Kirsten Clark, Raymond, Maine, 142
16. Schleper, 102
20. Koznick, 87
38T. Caroline Lalive, Steamboat Springs, Colo., 45
47. Jonna Mendes, Heavenly, Calif., 37
63T. Lindsey Kildow, Burnsville, Minn., 20
67. Mancuso, 18
76T. Bryna McCarty, Concord, Vt., 10
85T. Stiegler, 6
90. Alison Powers, Winter Park, Colo., 2

— Courtesy of US Ski Team