Nef opens race for third crown

Julia Ferguson, Reuters, Soelden, Austria

Sonja Nef is bidding to become only the second woman to win the World Cup crown in giant slalom three years in a row and her campaign begins high on the glacier at this Tyrolean resort on Saturday.

If the 30-year-old Swiss can summon the same determination coupled with near-flawless technique that have turned her into the measure of all things in the technical discipline, then she should be able to match compatriot Lise Marie Morerod's three straight World Cup titles from 1976-1978.

The Alpine skiing season, which includes the world championship at St Moritz in February where Nef must also defend her crown, opens at Soelden with a women's giant slalom.

Austrian World Cup champion Michaela Dorfmeister is clearly the racer most likely to spoil the evergreen Nef's party, judging by last season's results.

Each woman won three of the nine giant slalom races on the World Cup, although Nef ultimately donned the crown thanks to another three podium finishes to Dorfmeister's one.

Arguably more telling, the Austrian also snatched victory from Nef at last year's season-opener down the treacherous Rettenbach glacier at Soelden -- a win that ended Nef's winning streak of five straight races from the previous season.

Dorfmeister, who competes in the speed disciplines of downhill and super-G, as well as giant slalom, is brimming with confidence after winning the overall World Cup title and says she is in her best form ever this year.

But Nef, the reigning world champion who is contesting her 11th World Cup in a career plagued by five serious knee injuries, may also have to contend with a dark horse.

Croatia's slalom specialist Janica Kostelic may not be the obvious choice given that she has never reached the World Cup podium in giant slalom.

The 2001 overall champion struggled through the last World Cup after knee surgery. But the 20-year-old Kostelic came out of nowhere to capture three Olympic gold medals at Salt Lake City and her first win in giant slalom.

Kostelic has again been battling with her health during pre- season training in Austria. She has had appendicitis, ongoing knee problems and a viral infection.

One absentee at Soelden will be the 2000 overall World Cup champion Renate Goetschl of Austria, who is still recovering from a serious knee injury in March.

The season-opening race is considered one of the most difficult of all giant slaloms. The start hut is at an oxygen- sapping altitude of 3,048 meters and the course has a maximum incline of 61 percent.