Croatia's Janica Kostelic remains unbeaten in slalom this season. The 18-year-old skier from Zagreb won her fourth consecutive race here in Sestrière, beating Norway's Trine Bakke by 41/100 of a second and America's Kristina Koznick, a winner her last March, by 48/100.
This last women's race prior to Christmas was also marked by the disqualification of Germany's Martina Ertl, current leader in the overall World Cup standings. She was 13th in the first run, but the material controller of the International Ski Federation (FIS) discovered that the middle part of her skis were too narrow. A minimum of six centimeters of thickness is required - but her edges were worn out and didn't make the grade.
"I don't have any secret — but good nerves."
None of Ertl's rivals were able to profit from her problem. Régine Cavagnoud didn't race, and Austria's Renate Goetschl skied out in the first run.
Including her two wins from the 1999/2000 season prior her bad crash in St. Moritz, Kostelic has now reached six consecutive wins in slalom. She is closing in on the record set by Switzerland's Vreni Schneider in 1988 and 1989. Vreni won eight slaloms in a row before losing at the Ski World Championships at Vail to Yugoslavia's Mateja Svet.
Kostelic doesn't care about these kinds of records. As she said at the beginning of the season, the Croatian doesn't want to put herself under any pressure. She just aims to enjoy each single day.
"I have already reached much more than expected so far. I'm not afraid to lose." she said. "I just try to give my best. Today I was lucky because the others are really skiing well now. I would also have been pleased with a 2nd or a 3rd place."
Kostelic had some problems with her back muscles in the morning, but a massage between the two runs made her feel better.
"I don't have any secret but good nerves. I just don't think about what's happening or what will happen. I stay as concentrated as possible, that's all. I enjoy every day of my life; it's not always perfect, but it's okay."
She is looking forward to the Christmas break, sleeping in her own bed and spending time with her family.
Finland's Henna Raita, second in the opening run, didn't finish her second run as she tried hard to clinch her first World Cup race. USA's Sarah Schlepper, 2nd here 10 days ago, skied out in the middle of the first run after clocking the fastest intermediate time.
Koznick Moving Up
USA's Koznick is slowly but surely finding her way back up the standings. She was hoping for more, but she made some mistakes in both runs. She was lucky that Henna Raita skied out, opening the door for Koz to reach her second podium of the season.
"So far my season start is much better than the previous one," she said. "I was close to winning today, but you can't afford any mistakes to beat Kostelic and the other skiers. But I can't complain. My brother Charlie is here with me, and we will stay together for the Christmas break. We are looking for a nice spot to train and prepare for the next race."
The other US skiers are heading back home to rest then check where the next races will be. A GS and slalom were scheduled in Austria's Semmering, near Vienna, but snow coverage is thin this week.
— Patrick Lang, World Cup Correspondent
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