21 JAN 2001 > Women's Giant Slalom
Sonja Nef Achieves Crystal Dream
Race Results

Switzerland's Sonja Nef celebrated her greatest triumph today at Cortina d'Ampezzo by winning her fifth race of the season and ensuring her dominance of the giant slalom World Cup standings.

"I'm so happy to have reached this goal today on this prestigious course. I knew that I would win the Cup with another success and I did my best to achieve this goal," Nef said. "It's my first-ever major title..."

There are still two GS races on the schedule before the end of the season, but Nef's lead over her closest rival, Austria's Michaela Dorfmeister, is enough to assure her the Crystal Globe at the award's ceremony at Are, Sweden in two months.

The 28-year-old Nef dominates this event just as Janica Kostelic's does the slalom or Régine Cavagnoud the super G. Together, these three athletes have won 15 events since the season's start.

Nef, who clinched her fourth race in a row was particularly proud to have won what is considered the most demanding giant slalom race on the women's circuit. She beat by half a second Canada's Allison Forysth, 2nd here last year, and by 85/100 Dorfmeister, the defending GS World Cup champion.

"With some luck I may also win my first medal..."

Italy's Karen Putzer was 4th ahead of Switzerland's newcomer Lilian Kummer. Sweden's Anja Paerson, who four times reached the podium earlier this season, found her way back to the top-10 while her teammate Anna Ottosson, last year's winner was only 11th.

The US team had a disappointing day with Kristina Kozmick 21st, Caroline Lalive 23rd , and Sarah Schleper 25th. The Americans never found their best forms on the long slope which requires great physical condition.

The Overall World Cup favorites didn't ski at their best levels either — Janica Kostelic was 13th, Renate Goetschl, the actual leader, 18th while France Régine Cavagnoud skied out at the beginning of the first run.

After facing so many health problems in the early 1990s and some general bad luck in her career, Nef finally reached one of the pinnacles of her specialty only two years after her first success in this event in October 1999 at Tignes, France. Last year, she fought against Dorfmeister for the title until the last race at Bormio and she promised herself then that she would fight hard for the Globe.

Last summer she trained harder than ever with her personal coach, Sepp Brunner, a former Austrian trainer, which she hired in 1996, in the beginning paying his bill herself. Now the Swiss Ski Federations shares the bill with her.

"It's not just the best way for me to train, but the only one," she said after the race. "Because of my weak knees, I can't train as intensively as the others, I need to set my own pace and to rest often. But last year I enjoyed my best summer ever. I was quite healthy and able to work out harder than ever before. That's why I have been so consistent this winter.

"It will help me to be confident and determined in two weeks at the Worlds at St Anton," Nef continued. "With some luck I may also win my first medal."

Canada's Forsyth also felt like a winner after her race, reaching her first podium of the season after a hard season start. She skied out in the first two GS races in Soelden and Park City, but never gave up her hope to return to the summit. "I was lucky to score some good results in slalom which boosted my morale," she said. "I felt able to do well on this demanding slope which required great conditioning. Now I'm ready for St Anton where the Canadian team will have some strong medal chances now."

The next women's race is planned on Friday and Saturday in Bavaria, in Ofterschwang, where a GS and a slalom are planned. Then on Sunday, the Opening Ceremony at St. Anton will take place.

— Patrick Lang, World Cup Correspondent

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