13 February 2003

The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2003 St. Moritz-Pontresina, Engadine for two weeks from 1st to 16th February.

Event outline | Maier | Austian Womens Gold | Eberharter | Combined | Downhill | Chemmy | Kostelic
Womens Slalom | Mens Downhill

World Championship Personal Best for Chemmy
Chemmy Alcott (20. Hove) achieved her best ever placing in a senior World Alpine Championships, with a 25th in Giant Slalom. Despite leaving the junior category only last year, Chemmy is already a veteran of three senior World Championships (Vail, St Anton and St Moritz) and took part in her first Olympics last year in Salt Lake. Today's result improves on the 30th place she achieved in the 2002 Winter Park Olympic Slalom.

Sweden wins
From a first run start of 35, Chemmy had only improved by one place at the start of the second run, following a tentative lower section, and was 0.45 short of making the top 30, an therefore the advantage of a clean 2nd run piste. With nothing to lose, Chemmy let rip on the second run and risked leaving the course on two occasions, but held on to finish just 2.29 seconds out on the second run, a total of +5.65 overall out on Anja Paerson, who dominated the race throughout.

The local crowd willed leading Swiss racer, Sonja Nef, to a medal, but in the end it was not to be and silver and bronze went to Karbon and Forsyth respectively, neither of whom had been among the hot pre race favourites.

After the race Chemmy stated, 'I was too tentative on the first run and missed out on the chance to start the second run from within the top 30. I was much more relaxed in the second run and really went for it. The result was a much better run, which I was happier with. In general, I have had a good championships, although I do feel that I have been a little unlucky on occasion.'

Britainšs leading female slalom skier, Emma Carrick-Anderson (26, Edinburgh) will compete in Saturday's slalom.

RESULTS - Women's Giant Slalom

1 PAERSON Anja SWE 1:19.21 1:11.76 2:30.97 0.00
2 KARBON Denise ITA 1:20.08 1:12.44 2:32.52 8.83
3 FORSYTH Allison CAN 1:19.33 1:13.43 2:32.76 10.20

25 ALCOTT Chimene GBR 1:22.57 1:14.05 2:36.62 32.19

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