"This is for sure one my happiest days in my life," said Roten after the race. "I had to fight so hard to win again. It's also wonderful to succeed here in front of my friends. It's an important success for all our team after all the disappointing results in the past season."

Roten, 22, who took the lead in the first run, beat Koznick by half a second after taking huge risks in the bumpy second run. The 1997 Overall World Cup champion, Pernilla Wiberg, who missed a gate in the downhill on Saturday, was 4th while her teammate Ylva Nowen, 4th in the first leg, missed a gate in the second run.

Zali Steggall also had problems in the second run. After clocking the fastest intermediate time, Steggal finished next to last. Germany's Hilde Gerg, the winner in the downhill on Friday, led the favorites for the combined event ahead of her teammate Martina Ertl. Alexandra Meissintzer (AUT), who usually doesn't race slalom, also scored a few extra World Cup points in this first combined event of the season.

Roten's is the first success for the women's Swiss ski team since Heidi Zurbriggen won the downhill in Cortina d'Ampezzo in January 1997. Roten didn't stand on a World Cup podium for two years, yet she won two silver medals in the technical events at the 1997 World Championships at Sestriere, Italy. Last season was a nightmare for her after being infected by a bad virus which robbed her of her force for most of the winter, in which she scored only a few top-10s.

It was a comeback for Kristina Koznick, who had a catastrophic season start in Park City and Mammoth. On the rough and steep slalom slope in Veysonnaz, the 23-year-old skier from Burnsville, MN reached a higher level. So far, the US champion has seemed more comfortable on less steep courses covered by smoother snow.

"That's a strong result for me," Koznick said with a smile. "After my bad season start in Park City, I said to myself that I have to forget my past season to start again from the top and concentrate on the coming race. It worked out well, this result is a nice Christmas gift."

Anja Paerson proved with 3rd place that her win in Mammoth Mountain was no fluke and that she definitely belongs among the top slalom specialists.

The next women's race, the last before Christmas, will take place this Monday in Megeve, France. It's a Super-G in which Alexandra Meissnitzer will fight for her sixth victory this season.

—Mountain Zone European Correspondent