Women's Slalom
Seventeen-year-old Janica Kostelic achieved her biggest dream today in Serre Chevalier, winning her first World Cup slalom after two very aggressive runs. The Croatian, racing in her second World Cup season, beat Norway's Trine Bakke by an impressive margin of 1.78 second. She also finished 2.39 seconds before defending World Cup Slalom Champion Sabine Egger(AUT).

	Kostelic

Anja Paerson came in 4th, in front of Renate Goetschl, the top favorite for the Overall standings this winter. The French crowd was pleased with the Christel Saioni's 7th place. (Saioni tied for 1st with Spela Pretnar (SLO) in the slalom at Copper Mountain earlier this season.)

Australia's Zali Steggall, the reigning World Champion, scored her first points of the season with 8th place. Spela Pretnar skied out in the second run after a slow first run.

The US skiers also had a tough time in the second run. Kristina Kosnick, 4th in the first leg, skied out, too. She was fighting for her first podium. Sarah Schleper, 15th in the morning run, finished 26th and dead last after some problems on the course. Since she lost over 15 seconds on the winner, she won't even extract any World Cup points from this race.

"I felt a lot of tension between the two runs because it was the first time that I was in the lead in a World Cup race. I told myself that I have to be strong in my mind and at the level of my expectation. It's a great day for me and my family...." — Janica Kostelic (CRO)

But for Janica Kostelic, this is a dream come true. "I dreamed about it and now it's reality. I can't believe it," said a thrilled Kostelic after the race. "I never expected to achieve such a great season start, I'm quite amazed," she added. "I'm so happy that I don't know what to say. I felt a lot of tension between the two runs because it was the first time that I was in the lead in a World Cup race. I told myself that I have to be strong in my mind and at the level of my expectation. It's a great day for me and my family."

Kostelic's first slalom win is not a surprise for those who exchanged a few words with her after Saturday's giant slalom, where she took 4th place. "This is a great hill for a slalom, I like it when it's very steep and demanding," she said with a big smile after the GS. "I'm confident and I feel ready to give my best in this slalom."

A winner last January in a World Cup combined in St. Anton, Kostelic also scored two 3rd-place finishes in slalom at the Austrian resort and at Park City where she entered her very first World Cup slalom in November 1998. She came in 11th in the Overall World Cup standings after a disappointing World Championships in Vail.

Kostelic had a promising season start with a series of top-10 places in all four alpine specialties in Copper Mountain, Lake Louise, and here at Serre Chevalier. A very determined and smart athlete who aims to clinch the Overall World Cup in the coming three years, she is part of a "family sports enterprise." Her older brother Ivica is also competing on the men's circuit and they are coached by their father Ante, a former top handball player who adores ski racing.

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The Kostelics made great sacrifices in the early 1990s to support the children's career before getting some financial support from the sponsors and the ski suppliers.

"It was especially tough during our civil war," remembers Ante. "I worked hard in the summer on the Dalmatian Islands to make enough money to feed my family. I did everything, including diving to catch fishes for the restaurants."

When they trained on Austria's glaciers in those years, they often slept in their car or outdoors in their sleeping bags to save money. Now the group is perfectly organized and well financed, too. Janica trained hard as usual in the spring and during last fall. In the summer, she enjoys relaxing in their houses in Mljet, two hours away by boat from Duvrovnik, one of the nicest cities in this part of the Mediterranean sea.

"It's fun to be lazy for a while but there are many nice things to do there," she said. "I like a lot to be at the sea and live a very natural life there."

Since last spring, Janica put on around 15 kilos — but only a small part of that is muscle gain. "I didn't eat a lot last winter because I was so tense and I lost much weight and power, too," she explained. "I was very nervous and there was too much pressure on me. Then I ate again last spring but maybe too many cookies.

"I hope I will find back a better shape during the coming months. But I can't complain because the extra weight helps me to be faster in the speed events. I like downhill and super G but I'm not such a good glider," she said.

This newest victory also brought her into the lead in the Overall World Cup standings, ahead of Austria's top favorite Renate Goetschl. But she doesn't really care about it for the moment. "The season is still very long and I don't have so much experience. I don't know how long I can remain at this high level. For the moment, I'm just happy about today's result."

"I still have to train to get used to these short skis but I'm confident. I hope to improve my form in the coming two weeks." — Sabine Egger (AUT)

This was also the case for the other two skiers on the podium today. Trine Bakke (NOR) is very consistent in slalom for the moment and a top contender for the slalom World Cup title. Sabine Egger (AUT), who raced on her serviceman's short skis in Copper Mountain, used a new model which turned out to be very efficient. "I still have to train to get used to these short skis but I'm confident," said Egger. "I hope to improve my form in the coming two weeks."

Kristina Kosnick, who skied out at the middle of the second run after clocking the 4th best intermediate time, also seems ready for a comeback. "I was too passive in this run, I let the course come to me instead of attacking it," she said after the first leg. Yet she remains confident. "Things are getting better," she said.

A women's super G and a giant slalom will be held this coming Wednesday and Thursday in Val d'Isère, France. The next slalom will take place in a week in Sestriere, Italy.

— Patrick Lang, MountainZone.com World Cup Correspondent