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Compagnoni adds another World Cup giant slalom win
The second giant slalom of the women's World Cup Alpine skiing season proved to be a race for second place Friday as Italy's Deborah Compagnoni destroyed the field by more than three seconds.
The reigning women's World Cup, world and Olympic giant slalom champion fought off poor visibility and a light snowfall to finish fastest by nearly a full second in the first run with a time of 1:26.69.
Campagnoni returned to the C.B.'s Run course and produced a sizzling second run of 1:25.91 for an unofficial winning combined time of 2:52.60.
Alexandra Meissnitzer of Austria used a spectacular second run of her own,1:26.92, to jump from 13th place to second place on the podium with a combined time of 2:56.01.
It was a comeback race of sorts for Meissnitzer, who had two World Cup super-G wins two years ago but did nothing on the tour last year.
Third place went to Norway's Andrine Flemmen in 2:56.46.
Compagnoni's winning margin of 3.41 seconds is the third largest in the history of women's World Cup skiing. The record of 5.20 seconds was set in 1979 by Switzerland's Marie Therese Nadig in a giant slalom in Japan.
``She is skiing like a god,'' Meissnitzer said of Campagnoni. ``Right now I don't think it is possible to beat her.''
With six consecutive World Cup giant slalom wins (and the world championship), Compagnoni is beginning to look invincible. Despite her convincing margin Friday, the current World Cup overall points leader denies that description.
"No, I'm not unbeatable. I'm just skiing really well,'' Compagnoni said.
"This is one of the few classic races I have not won so far, and I was very much ready to do so today."
The Italian ski team has won all the giant slalom races in the past 12 months, starting with a win by Sabina Panzanini here last winter.
Compagnoni took over the overall points lead from German Martina Ertl, who slipped to sixth place in Friday's giant slalom after nearly falling twice and taking out a gate on her second run.
Ertl, who was second fastest with a time of 1:27.67 on her first run, finished with a final time of 2:57.17. Teammate Katja Seizinger, third after the first leg, skied off course in her second run and did not finish.
"Conditions were very difficult because we had to ski in the ruts left by the men's race from yesterday," Compagnoni said from the finish area. "I am very happy to be first."
Flemmen shared Compagnoni's joy in her first podium finish on the World Cup.
"I have worked for this day my whole life,'' the Norwegian said. ``We are a very small team, and this is a very big podium for us."
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Women's 2nd Giant Slalom, November 21,1997
| Rank |
Name |
Nat. |
Total |
| 1 |
COMPAGNONI Deborah |
ITA |
2:52.60 |
| 2 |
MEISSNITZER Alexandra |
AUT |
2:56.01 |
| 3 |
FLEMMEN Andrine |
NOR |
2:56.46 |
| 4 |
NEF Sonja |
SUI |
2:56.57 |
| 5 |
HEEB Birgit |
LIE |
2:56.90 |
| 6 |
ERTL Martina |
GER |
2:57.17 |
| 7 |
LEFRANC-DUVILLARD Sophie |
FRA |
2:57.21 |
| 8 |
WACHTER Anita |
AUT |
2:57.51 |
| 9 |
PICCARD Leila |
FRA |
2:57.52 |
| 10 |
KOSTNER Isolde |
ITA |
2:57.65 |
| 10 |
ZURBRIGGEN Heidi |
SUI |
2:57.65 |
| 12 |
GERG Hilde |
GER |
2:57.84 |
| 13 |
EGGER Sabine |
AUT |
2:58.38 |
| 14 |
ROTEN MEIER Karin |
SUI |
2:58.46 |
| 15 |
HROVAT Urska |
SLO |
2:58.68 |
| 16 |
OTTOSSON Anna |
SWE |
2:58.87 |
| 17 |
KOELLERER Karin |
AUT |
2:58.95 |
| 18 |
BOKAL Natasa |
SLO |
2:59.36 |
| 19 |
IBARRA ASTELARRA Ainhoa |
SPA |
2:59.39 |
| 20 |
NEUENSCHWANDER Katrin |
SUI |
2:59.59 |
| 21 |
DOVZAN Alenka |
SLO |
2:59.72 |
| 22 |
KUMMER Lilian |
SUI |
2:59.79 |
| 23 |
PRETNAR Spela |
SLO |
3:00.00 |
| 24 |
SCHNEIDER Tanja |
AUT |
3:00.30 |
| 25 |
PEREZ Bibiana |
ITA |
3:00.69 |
| 26 |
RIENDA CONTRERAS Maria Jose |
SPA |
3:00.97 |
| 27 |
MITTERWALLNER Christiane |
AUT |
3:01.47 |
Did not finish 1st run:
SCHUSTER Stefanie (AUT), BARTLOVA Petra (CZE), HAEUSL Regina (GER), PANZANINI
Sabina (ITA), PUTZER Karen (ITA), BASSIS Patrizia (ITA), GIMLE Trude (NOR),
GALINDO SANTOLARIA Ana (SPA), NOWEN Ylva (SWE), YDESKOG Linda (SWE), FORTKORD
Martina (SWE), HAELLDAHL Sandra (SWE), REY BELLET Corinne (SUI), SKOGLUND Tatum
(USA), MONAHAN Kathleen (USA), MENDES Jonna (USA), SUHADOLC Mojca (SLO)
Did not finish 2nd run:
SEKINO Fujiko (FRA), JACQUEMOD Ingrid (FRA), SEIZINGER Katja (GER)
Did not qualify 2nd run:
DUVILLARD Kristina (FRA), SOURD Isabelle (FRA), GERG Annemarie (GER),
BEHRINGER Simone (GER), DE MARTIN TROPANIN Tiziana (ITA), GALLIZIO Morena (ITA),
MERLIN Barbara (ITA), VIERIN Sonia (ITA), IKEDA Kazuko (JPN), KASHIWAGI Kumiko
(JPN), SCHAEDLER Tamara (LIE), MARKEN Ingeborg Helen (NOR), GELI ESPANA Ana
(SPA), HANSSON Erika (SWE), BORGHI Catherine (SUI), SHAFFER Alexandra (USA),
CLARK Kirsten L (USA), LALIVE Caroline (USA), KVOPKOVA Maria (SVK)
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