Riesch wins slalom event, takes World Cup standings lead

Jan 4, 2009 - 3:45 PM ZAGREB, Croatia (Ticker) -- Germany's Maria Riesch won a World Cup slalom event Sunday, capitalizing on Lindsey Vonn's late crash to take the overall standings lead from the American.

Riesch completed her two runs in 1 minute, 58.96 seconds to edge Italy's Nicole Gius, who covered the course in 1:59.40.

It was the third victory this season and ninth career for Riesch, who trailed Vonn after the first leg.

Vonn, who entered the event with a 23-point lead in the standings, posted the fastest time in the first leg, but crashed with just five gates remaining and failed to finish her second run. The reigning World Cup champion was uninjured but fell to third in the standings.

"I have mixed feelings about this victory," said Riesch, who spent the recent Christmas holiday with Vonn. "I'm delighted to have won but also sad that my friend Lindsey should have been so close. The gap between her and the rest was so huge."

Riesch stood atop the podium just six days after winning another slalom event in Semmering, Austria. The 24-year-old Bavarian also won a slalom in La Molina, Spain last month.

"Good things come three-by-three," she said. "The more I win, the more unbelievable it is and the closer I get to being beaten."

Gius, 28, recorded her first podium finish this season and fourth career. It was her best World Cup performance since a second-place finish nearly two years ago in Slovakia.

Sarka Zahrobska of the Czech Republic finished third in 1:59.59, while Sweden's Anja Paerson (2:00.20) and Austria's Kathrin Zettel (2:00.23) rounded out the top five.

Riesch has 607 overall points, 73 ahead of Finland's Tanja Poutiainen, who finished seventh Sunday. Vonn has 530 points.