Wachter wins giant slalom

A year after her spectacular comeback, Anita Wachter is on top again.

A year after her spectacular comeback, Anita Wachter is on top again.

The 32-year old Austrian veteran won the giant slalom in Lienz, Austria today, clinching her first World Cup triumph since last December, when she won the giant slalom in Semmering.

Wachter, who came back last winter after recovering from a serious knee injury which had threatened to end her career, stormed down the course in a two-run aggregate time of 2 minutes, 22.33 seconds, moving to the top from the fourth spot after the first heat.

She won despite making a serious mistake on the upper part of the course in the second run when her skis made a dangerous skid.

"After the first run, I knew I wasn't that far from the victory so I went for it," Wachter said. "It was logical to win today: I've already clinched the third and second place this season."

Canadian Allison Forsyth finished a surprising second, clocking 2:22.66 for the best result of her career and one of Canada's women skiers' best achievements of the last decade.

"My goal today was to post two equally good runs," Forsyth said, adding she was glad to have reached the podium in only her second year on the World Cup circuit.

Forsyth's second place was the second top three finish for Canada this season, after Ed Podivinsky's third spot in men's downhill at Val Gardena, Italy, earlier this month.

Birgit Heeb of Liechtenstein came home third in 2:22.92, ahead of Switzerland's Sonja Nef, fourth in 2:23.29, and Austria's Renate Goetschl, fifth in 2:33.30.

Goetschl has moved to the top of the overall World Cup standings with 491 points, overtaking Isolde Kostner of Italy, 27th in Tuesday's race, who has collected 481 points.

The World Cup continues on Wednesday with a women's slalom at Lienz.