Claudia Riegler of New Zealand won her third World Cup slalom race of the season Sunday, while Pernilla Wiberg of Sweden missed by one-hundredth of a second of clinching the season's slalom title.
In a final tuneup for the World Championships which begin Monday at Sestriere, Italy, Reigler regained the confidence she had displayed in two victories at the start of the season. She was timed in 1 minute, 20.75 seconds, for the two runs on the Barguns course.Italy's Lara Magoni was a surprising second. Eighth after the first run, Magoni posted the fastest second run, 41.85, for a total time of 1:20.82.
Wiberg and Switzerland's Martina Accola tied for third at 1:20.83.
Riegler, who skis in a similar style to hard-charging Italian star Alberto Tomba, also was third in a slalom at Maribor, Slovenia, last month.
With the win, Riegler collected enough points to prevent Wiberg from claiming the World Cup slalom title. Wiberg could have clinched the title with a second place finish, but barely missed.
Wiberg, the defending slalom champion, has 570 points in the event, with Riegler second at 389.
But Wiberg's slalom finish, along with her 10th place in Saturday's downhill, made her a winner of the combined event which combines the two results.
This helped her extend her lead in the overall standings with 1,425 points. Germany's Katja Seizinger is second with 945.
Seizinger, still bothered by a headache after a spectacular fall in Saturday's downhill, did not compete in the slalom.
The defending world champion was advised by the team doctor to rest before the World Championships. But the loss of points meant her chance of keeping the title were dim.
Riegler, winner of the season's first two slaloms, had failed to post a result in the last two races in which she competed. She had trained in isolation with her coach for the past two weeks to try and regain her form.
She can win the slalom title if she wins the season's final two races.
Defending World Cup slalom champion Elfi Eder of Austria was fifth Sunday in 1:21.01.