Hometown hero
Kosir wins first World Cup race since 1993; Sykora injured
Posted: Thursday January 07, 1999 12:18 AM
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Kosir's only previous career victory came in 1993
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KRANJSKA GORA, Slovenia (AP) -- Hometown favorite Jure Kosir
pleased the Slovenian crowd Wednesday, winning a World Cup slalom
race for his first victory since 1993.
Kosir, who has a reputation for disappointment, led Thomas
Stangassinger by more than half a second after the first run, and
completed his two runs in 1 minute, 37.22 seconds to beat the
Austrian by .26 of a second.
Stangassinger, who remained atop the World Cup slalom standings,
finished second in 1:37.48.
Stangassinger, at 33 the oldest man on the World Cup circuit,
repeated his second-place finish in the previous slalom, in
Sestriere, Italy, on Dec. 14.
Two Austrian youngsters, skiing their first season on the World
Cup tour, Benjamn Raich and Rainer Schoenfelder, finished third
and fourth.
Raich, 20, is a five-time winner of the World Junior
Championships.
Norwegian veteran Finn Christian Jgge, who won the Sestriere
slalom, slid from third after the first run to fifth.
Kosir's only previous career victory came Dec. 20, 1993, in
Maonna di Campiglio, Italy.
But the 26-year-old Slovenian has been consistently among the
top racers this season. He was third in the Sestriere slalom.
Cries of joy went up as Kosir crossed the finish line.
Austrian Thomas Sykora, who was attempting a comeback Wednesday,
re-injured his left knee and did not start.
The injury to his patella tendon will force Sykora, at best, to
sit out the rest of the season and could possibly end his career.
The 30-year-old Austrian has won nine slaloms in his career.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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