ALPINE:

Poutiainen leads Flachau night slalom after first run

Jan. 11, 2011 — The Canadian Press

FLACHAU, Austria — Tanja Poutiainen posted the fastest time in the first run of a women's World Cup night slalom on Tuesday.

The Finnish skier finished the Griessenkar course in 49.90 seconds, leading Nastasia Noens of France by 0.21.

"It was a good run, but I will need another one," said Poutiainen, who had four podium finishes but was yet to win a race this season.

Overall World Cup leader Maria Riesch of Germany was 0.41 back in third, while three-time defending champion Lindsey Vonn straddled a gate. The American has failed to finish her first run in four straight races.

Canada's Anna Goodman, 26th, qualified for the second run.

The course was set by U.S. women's slalom head coach Trevor Wagner, but Vonn never looked comfortable from the start and was already 0.80 behind Poutiainen's time when she went out after 25 seconds.

Riesch also wasn't clean as her right ski went up in the air but the German avoided skiing out.

"I am just very happy that I made it to the finish," she said. "The course is really icy so you have to be wary throughout."

Marlies Schild of Austria, who has won four slaloms this season, lost time after a major mistake and has 1.40 seconds to make up in the second leg.

"I had many errors as the back of my skis slid away several times," Schild said.

Fellow Austrian and former overall champion Nicole Hosp and 2007 world champion Sarka Zahrobska of the Czech Republic both skied out after missing a gate.

The only skier other than Schild to win a slalom race this season, Maria Pietilae-Holmner of Sweden, was 10th, 1.18 behind Poutiainen. S-Magazine