MADONNA DI CAMPIGLIO, Italy - Sweden's Anja Paerson won a slalom Tuesday for her fourth victory this season, extending her lead in the overall World Cup standings.

Paerson covered the two runs in 1 minute, 40.68 seconds. France's Laure Pequegnot, the first-run leader, was 0.81 seconds behind and Austria's Nicole Hosp was third, 1.10 seconds back.

The top Americans were Kristina Koznick in fifth place and Sarah Schleper in 11th.

Paerson also won the season's first slalom and has two giant slalom victories. She leads France's Carole Montillet by 164 points in the standings.

Tuesday's race had an unusual start, with Bode Miller and Janica Kostelic serving as forerunners.

Miller is trying to regain his form after failing to finish four of his last five races, and Kostelic is preparing to return from a thyroid problem. Kostelic was a forerunner for both runs; Miller did only the first.

"I was trying to use it as a good training run," said Miller, who fell in the first leg of Monday's men's slalom.

He had no qualms about taking part in a women's event.

"It's really challenging how tight it is," he said. "They set it with a lot more turns than for us."

Forerunners act as a gauge for organizers and competitors by ensuring the course is in good condition. Their times are not made public, although the skiers sometimes release the times themselves.

How did Miller do against Kostelic?

"I don't know, probably not great," he said.

Kostelic, the defending overall World Cup champion, looked fluid and made no mistakes. The Croat said she was not pushing too hard, however.

Kostelic had been contemplating making her season debut Wednesday in another slalom. She now says she will wait a little longer.

This race originally was scheduled for the Czech resort of Spindleruv Mlyn but was moved because of a lack of snow.  
 
By ANDREW DAMPF, Associated Press Writer, Tue Dec 16, 9:08 AM ET

Austria's Hosp Wins Her First Slalom   
Wed Dec 17, 9:30 AM ET

By ANDREW DAMPF, Associated Press Writer

MADONNA DI CAMPIGLIO, Italy - Austria's Nicole Hosp was the fastest skier in both runs and won her first World Cup slalom race Wednesday.

Hosp finished with a combined time of 1 minute, 37.97 seconds on the steep Canalone Miramonti course, 0.29 seconds ahead of Sweden's Anja Paerson, who won Tuesday's race.

Marlies Schild, another Austrian, was 0.53 seconds back in third place.

"I heard Paerson was leading when I was at the start and I said to myself I've really got to win this race," said Hosp, who finished third Tuesday.

It was Hosp's second career victory. Last season, she won a giant slalom on the Austrian glacier of Soelden.

Hosp attributed a large part of her success to a change of boots.

The win moved her up to second place in the overall World Cup standings, 190 points behind Paerson.

Paerson looked slightly unstable in her second run, with her arms and poles flailing out beside her.

She said she was tired and still getting her energy back from a successful North American trip.

"It's mentally tough always to be on the podium," she said. "I'll be very happy on Christmas to stay in bed. I thought I could have won today too. Both runs I was perfect on the top part, but I made some mistakes on the bottom. I'm happy for my second place."

The race was originally scheduled for the Slovakian resort of Vratna, but was moved due to a lack of snow.

Last season's overall winner Janica Kostelic canceled her appearance as a forerunner because of knee pain, which could lead to surgery.

Kostelic, who has yet to compete this season because of a thyroid problem, was a forerunner Tuesday. Kostelic also has a history of knee problems.

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