ZAGREB, Jan 20 (Hina) - Tanja Poutiainen of Finland on Thursday won thefirst World Cup slalom race in Croatia, which Nika Fleiss and AnaJelusic of Croatia finished eighth and ninth respectively, alleviatingthe disappointment of some
20,000 spectators with Janica Kostelic'sgiving up the race in the first leg after she straddled a gate.
ZAGREB, Jan 20 (Hina) - Tanja Poutiainen of Finland on Thursday won
the first World Cup slalom race in Croatia, which Nika Fleiss and Ana Jelusic
of Croatia finished eighth and ninth respectively, alleviating the
disappointment of some 20,000 spectators with Janica Kostelic's giving up the
race in the first leg after she straddled a gate.Fliess' eighth place is her best result so far, while Jelusic's ninth
place is her second best result so far, after her fifth place in Aspen this
season.
Poutiainen won in one minute 50.71 seconds to go to the top of the
overall World Cup standings.
Kristina Koznick of the United States was second in 1:50.78 and Marlies
Schild of Austria finished third with a time of 1:51.19.
The "Golden Bear" slalom race, which was held on the slopes of Mount
Sljeme overlooking Zagreb, was also attended by senior state officials,
including Parliament Speaker Vladimir Seks, Prime Minister Ivo Sanader and
Foreign Minister Miomir Zuzul.