Trine Bakke (NOR)

Trine Bakke Takes Slalom
Norway's Trine Bakke clinched the last slalom prior the World Championships with her first World Cup win today in St. Anton. The 23-year-old skier from Trondheim, in the northern Norway, beat Sweden's new star Anja Paerson by a close 4/100 of a second after a very aggressive second run.

Bakke, who has been racing on the World Cup tour since 1994, was delighted to become the first Norwegian to win a World Cup race since her teammate Andrine Flemmen won the giant slalom in Soelden three months ago.

"I have been waiting for a long time for this result...I was 5th three times in the beginning of the season, and I wanted to reach the podium this time..." —Trine Bakke (NOR)

"I have been waiting for a long time for this result," said the Scandinavian who was 2nd last winter in Austria's Saalbach. "I was 5th three times in the beginning of the season and I wanted to reach the podium this time. I really enjoyed to race on this demanding slope. The icy conditions in the first run were perfect for me. I will now take a break to train for the World Championships. I was 5th there two years ago and I like the course very much."

Flemmen, the fastest in icy and treacherous first leg, skied out in the second run fighting for her second season's win.

Janica Kostelic, 16 years old from Zagreb, Croatia, took 3rd, her best result since finishing 3rd in Park City in November. This strong performance helped her to clinch the prestigious Arlberg Kandahar combined award ahead of Germany's Hilde Gerg, a slow 16th in this seventh slalom of the season.

Kostelic feels ready for Vail after overcoming difficult moments in recent weeks. "This is my first World Cup season and it's difficult when you compete in all events," said Kostelic. "Yet the most difficult part for me is to handle all the pressure and the attention from the Croatian media and the people. I went home for a couple of days and it was crazy. This slalom result is very important for me as I'm now part of the first group. It's a great honor. I'm also very proud to have won this combined—it's a difficult event and my downhill is not so good in this moment."

Sweden's Pernilla Wiberg straddled a gate on her way down the second run and gave up the race.

	Deborah Compagnoni (ITA)

Slovenia's Natasa Bokal reached an impressive 4th place. Italy's Deborah Compagnoni, only 6th in her first slalom race since Veysonnaz, lost her spot in the World elite. The defending World Cup slalom champion, who has suffered from back problems in past weeks, will not be starting with a good number at Vail in three weeks.

Sabine Egger, the winner in the last slalom at Berchtesgaden, was the best Austrian in 5th place, thus takiing the lead in the World Cup slalom standings ahead of Wiberg after this race.

Alexandra Meissnitzer, the overall World Cup leader, placed 19th but still has a strong lead (280 points) over Hilde Gerg. America's Alexandra Shaffer placed 17th.

The next women's race will take place this week in Italy's most glamorous resort, Cortina d'Ampezzo, where a downhill, two super-Gs and a giant slalom are scheduled from Thursday to Sunday.

—Mountain Zone European Correspondent