Skiing: Nyberg nips in for a World Cup victory

Fredrik Nyberg, of Sweden, fought back from sixth place after the first leg to secure his first World Cup victory since 1990 in the giant slalom at Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, yesterday. On a slushy run, Nyberg posted a combined time of 2min 9.81sec. Italy's Matteo Belfrond was second and Germany's Tobias Barnessoi third. Kjetil-Andre Aamodt, of Norway, who led after the first run, dropped to ninth and lost his World Cup overall lead to Gunther Mader, the Austrian sharing fifth place in the race with Mitja Kunc of Slovenia. At Altenmarkt in Austria yesterday the women's World Cup Super-G was called off after a series of crashes on the first leg. Norway's Astrid Loedemel had to be taken off by stretcher after falling and hitting spectators behind a barrier and her place in the Norwegian team for the Olympics next month is now in doubt. Heidi Zurbriggen earned her first World Cup victory when the race jury ruled that the event should count.