Skiing: Paerson finds top gear to pip Kostelic

The women's world slalom champion, Anja Paerson of Sweden, turned in a brilliant second run to snatch a World Cup victory from the triple Olympic champion Janica Kostelic in Aspen, Colorado on Saturday.

Trailing Kostelic by .017 seconds after her first run, Paerson found another gear on her second trip down the deteriorating course to finish with a combined time of 1min 38.65sec – almost a half-second clear of her Croatian rival.

Croatia's Kostelic, who has been on the podium in four of five women's races, settled for second place in 1:39.06. Austria's Marlies Schild turned in the best second run to move up to third place and her first career podium place in 1:39.18, crossing just ahead of compatriot Nicole Hosp.

"I wasn't very confident after Park City," said the 21-year-old Swede, "but after being so close to Kostelic on the first run, it gave me the momentum for the second run."