Anja Paerson (SWE)

DOB:  04/25/1981  Hometown:  Tarnaby

Last season, teenager Anja Paerson became the fifth Swedish woman to win a World Cup slalom at Mammoth Mountain. Paerson, 17, is one of the youngest skiers ever to celebrate such a success. She came back from a slow first run to upset all the older favorites on a very windy slalom hill at Mammoth. Paerson is an up-and-coming athlete, winning the junior World GS title in '98. She also was the Europa Cup GS champ, and made it to the World Cup finals at Crans-Montana, Switzerland, last March. She finished 25th that giant slalom won by Alexandra Meissnitzer. Half a year later, the Swede scored her first points in that event when she came in 13th in the opening GS at Sölden, Austria.

Paerson, along with fellow teenager Janica Kostelic of Croatia, are part of the next wave of talented youngsters on the World Cup. Paerson grew up in Tarnaby, in northern Sweden, a resort made famous as the home of the great Ingemar Stenmark. Her father coached her and also trained the national team. A very confident skier, Paerson excels on intermediate racing hills but she still needs to master her aggressiveness. She skied out in both technical races at the 1999 World Championships in Vail. Then she was third in the final slalom World Cup standings.

She is fond of music, especially rhythm and blues, and plays guitar. Anja is an all-around athlete and plays football (soccer) and volleyball. While she is relaxed and friendly, Paerson has the "guts" to become the skier to beat in slalom.

— Patrick Lange, MountainZone.com World Cup Correspondent