Kostelic wows fans with miracle run

10/01/2006

Croatia kicked off 2006 with a major sporting event -- the women's ski cup at Mt Sljeme. Thousands of loyal fans turned out to cheer on Janica Kostelic, who turned in a performance for the ages -- finishing third despite losing her pole.

By Kristina Cuk for Southeast European Times in Zagreb -- 10/01/06

Marlies Schild of Austria (centre) celebrates her victory in the women's slalom competition on 5 January, next to second place finisher Kathrin Zettel of Austria (left) and Janica Kostelic of Croatia. [AFP]

For the second year in a row, Zagreb has hosted the World Ski Cup for women. The event, held on 5 January on Mt Sljeme, drew the major names in women's skiing -- Marlies Schild, Kathrin Zettel, Anja Parson, Kristina Koznick, Resi Stiegler, Tanja Poutainen -- to compete for the crystal crown and the title of World Ski Cup Snow Queen.

Topping the list was Croatia's Janica Kostelic, hoping to win the event this year after a disappointing performance in 2004, when she fell and did not finish the race. Sljeme is especially significant for Kostelic -- who was celebrating her 24th birthday on the day of the slalom -- because it is the hill where she learned to ski.

The first slalom run began at 15:15. Kostelic, perhaps worried about repeating her 2004 fall, skied more cautiously and slowly than usual and finished in 7th place. Three hours later, she began her second run, cheered on by more than 20,000 supporters -- only to face a catastrophe right out of the starting gate as she lost her right ski pole and glove. Her quest for a medal was seemingly doomed. But to the amazement of fans, Kostelic went on with the race, dragging her bare hand through the snow as she made the turns. In the end, she finished the race and won third place. The atmosphere at Sljeme was exultant, with fans singing, cheering and lighting Bengal flares.

The three-time Olympic winner remains at the head of the slalom rankings with 280 points, as well as the overall World Cup standings, with 652 points.

"It was a stupid, what happened to me," Kostelic told Croatia's HRT television later. "I thought to quit the race after the first part, but I had to finish it because of the people who organised the event and the fans who came to support me."

"Sljeme is something special," she added.

Finishing ahead of Kostelic were two Austrians: winner Marlies Schild and runner up Kathrin Zettel. Along with the crystal crown, the winner gets 60,000 euros, followed by 30,000 euros for second place and 15,000 for third. It was a major media event for Croatia, covered by five foreign television networks -- from Austria, Germany, Slovenia and Sweden, as well as the Eurosport channel. Thousands worked to prepare for the event, considered the world's most expensive slalom race.