MERIBEL France Dec 31 Vn m Schneider found oui you cai i; win them all

The Swiss star with three Olympic gold medals and 53 World Cup .ictones had to be satisfied with No 2 behind Urska Hrovat of Slovenia in Fridays World Cup slalom

Il was the first slalom loss for Schneider this year

"Maybe ! med loo hard in the second run." Schneider said "When ! crossed the line’ and saw I was second I was upset I didn t like it.'

But sometimes you have lo be pleased with second she added.

We re human and some days are better than others." Hrovat said. T had a good day today

it was the second career victory for Hrovat who had a time of 1 minute. 20-15 seconds for the two runs. Schneider who won the first two slaloms of the season, did 1:2024

Hrovat had the best time of the second heat with 41:01 Schneider had 41:59. only fourth best That erased the 49-second advantage Schnei der had after the first heat.

Third went lo Leila Piccard of France with 120 74

The race was done in poor weather conditions. The morning run was done in a light rain and a fog suddenly came in the middle of the second run.

Hrovat's only other World Cup victory c«me tn a slalom at Marfbor Slovenia last January Schneider placed second in that one too

Sometimes people think It i* easy to win al liotne. but ev grywhere It is difficult the 20 year old Hrovat said I was happy to win in France because it was far from my tiome '

Anita Wachter of Austria was fourth 1:2078 with Fernilia Wiberg of Sweden fifth 1:21 42

Heidi Zeller-Baehler of Switzerland* held onto the overall lead in the World Cup standing with 485 points although Schneider moved closer wnh 466 Zeller Baehler did not race the slalom finday

Warm temperatures made the course soft and slow

A men s giant slalom here was cancelled last week and there was barely enough snow to handle that shorter women s race. Falls on the slippery course eliminated top competitors Beatrice Filloil of France and Deborah Campagnooi of Italy on the first run.

Marianne KJ oersted of Norway was disqualified for mtksing a gate in the morning

The women have a New Year s break and their next races are scheduled for Haus un Ennstal Austria with a su per-G and giant slalom Jan. 7 8 The men return with a giant slalom tentatively set for Krajska Gora. Slovenia. Jan 6 with a slalom at Garmisch-Partenklrlchen Germany Jan

Both men and women are set to run supper G* on Jan 10 at Flachau Austria