HOSP Nicole (AUT) Web:
06,Nov,1983 Bichlbach
174cm / 63kg

SKI: Volkl
BOOTS: Fischer
Binding: Marker

Soelden 03 GS/1st Park City 03 GS
St.Moritz WM03 K/2nd-Slalom St.Moritz WM03 K/2nd-Downhill
Are WM07 GS / 1st Are WM07 DH / 3rd

World Cup Ranking
General

2002/121st, 2003/10th, 2004/12th, 2005/14th, 2006/4th, 2007/1st,
Special
2002 GS/58th. 2003 GS/4th, SL/10th. 2004 SL/6th, GS/6th. 2005 SL/7th, GS/6th.
2006 DH/23rd,SL/6th, GS/4th, SG/10th, K/5th.
2007 DH/20th, SL/2nd, GS/1st, SG/2nd, SC/3rd.

World Championships
2003 St.Moritz K/2nd, SL/3rd, GS/DNF.
2005 Bormio/S.Caterina. GS/5th, SL/DNF.
2007 Are. SG/4th, SC/6th, DH/3rd, GS/1st, SL/17th.
Olympic Games

2006 Torino. K/5th, SL/2nd, GS/4th.
World Cup - 9. w ( 1 SG, 5 GS, 2 SL, 1 SC)
1. SG: Are 06,
GS: Soelden 03, Lienz 04, Cortina 06, Kranjska Gora 07, Lenzerheide 07,
SL: Madonna di Campiglio 04-II, Lenzerheide 07,
K: Tarvisio 07(SC),
2. SG: Reiteralm 07, Cortina 07, Tarvisio 07,
GS: Maribor 03, Park City 04, Alta Badia 04, Are 05, Lienz 06, Hafjell 06,
Semmering 07, Sierra Nevada 07,
SL: Lienz 04, 06, Levi 07, Aspen 07, Zwiesel 07,
3. SG: St.Moritz 06,
GS: Semmering 03, Lillehammer 03, Lenzerheide 05, Are 06,
SL: Sestriere 03-KO, Maribor 03, Madonna di Campiglio 04-I, Lenzerhaide 05,
Levi 06-II,
4. DH: Are 06,
SL: Aspen 03, 05, Zagreb 05, 06, Sierra Nevada 07,
GS: Spindleruv Mlyn 06, Ofterschwang 06-I, Aspen 07,
K: San Sicario 05, St.Moritz 06(SC), Reiteralm 07(SC),
5. SG: Lenzerheide 07,
GS: Maribor 05,
SL: Maribor 06,
6. DH: Lenzerheide 07,
K: Hafjell 06(SC), Altenmarkt 07(SC),
7. SG: Lake Louise 07,
GS: Ofterschwang 06-II,
SL: Aspen 06, Spindleruv Mlyn 06, Kranjska Gora 07,
8. DH: Lake Louise 07,
SL: Park City 03,
GS: Val d'Isere 03,
9. DH: St.Moritz 06,
GS: Soelden 05,
SL: Santa Caterina 05,

Nicole Hosp tamed Anja Parson.

Madonna di Campiglio, Dec.17th . Swedenfs Anja Paerson failed to achieve her expected hat-trick in Madonna di Campiglio as she lost the third slalom race of the season to Austriafs Nicole Hosp, 3rd on Tuesday. So far, she was out of reach in the two previous events hold in Park City and here on Tuesday.

The 22-year-old Hosp, clocking the fastest times in both runs, beat the Scandinavian by 29/100 of a second, while Marlies Schild was 3rd as in Park City.

Another member of this strong Austrian team, Elisabeth Goergl was 4th, half a second away from the podium. She was 3rd last week in giant slalom in Alta Badia. Experts consider her as the most talented athlete of the younger Austrian generation.

The French Laure Pequegnot and Christel Pascal could not repeat their strong performances from the first race here ? Laure was only 12th this time and Christel 14th.

Yet Parson, who travelled to St Moritz where the next speed events are scheduled for the coming weekend, increased her lead in the overall World Cup standings. She is now followed by Hosp at 190 points, while Martina Ertl, 8th in that slalom, is 3rd at 238 points. At that point, the skier form Taernaby is sure to stay in the lead until the next technical races in Lienz ? the speed specialists classified behind Ertl canft hope to pass her in St Moritz.

Three US skiers ended among the top-15 ? Kristina Koznick was 9th ex aequo with Sarah Schleper while Resi Stiegler reached a promising 13th place. Last year, she came in 11th in a slalom in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.

A long wait

The Austrian team had to wait a long time for this slalom win ? since December 1999, when Sabine Egger won in Lienz, Austria. Yet it was only a question of time until Hosp, Schild or Goergl would stand atop of a podium in this specialty. These three skiers often finished among the best three in recent slalom races.

gI felt confident this morning and in fact I achieved two great runsh said Hosp, who already won a giant slalom in Soelden last season. gI was very determined and aggressive in the lower steep part where I gained much time on Anja in both runs. This result means a lot to me because I fought hard for it. I knew before my start in the second run that Anja was leading and I was ready to give my best to beat her this timeh.

gMy first victory in Soelden was a total surprise for me and I didnft really understood what happened to me that day. I was very happy that my father and some members of my fan-club attended this race. I enjoyed sharing my emotion with themh.

Hosp, who won two silver medals at the last Worlds in St Moritz in slalom and giant slalom, reached her fourth consecutive podium in five races today. She was already among the best-3 in the giant slalom races in Park City and Alta Badia and 3rd in slalom on Tuesday. She aims to continue to challenge Paerson in the slalom and GS World Cup standings but without putting too much pressure on herself. gThe most important is to enjoy my racing and to have funh she added.

A new shoe from Fischer

Interestingly enough, the Austrian is using a new model of racing boots produced by Fischer, also a well-known ski producer. gI tested them in August and I felt soon very comfortableh Hosp explained. gThe difference with the other boots mostly concerns the position of the feet inside the shoes ? they are in a duck-like position with toes pointing out wide. Itfs more natural and I had no problem getting used to it last summerh.

For the moment, Hosp is the only racer using this new product launched earlier this year by Fischer and developed with the help of a long-time trainer of Nicole, Johann Leitner. gWe work together since Ifm 14 and I trust him a loth she said. gI guess the other skiers must be quite curious now about this modelh.


Patrick Lang
Biorama Basel