Croatian wins men's slalom

Croatia's Ivica Kostelic clears a gate during his first run of the World Cup men's Slalom in Madonna di Campiglio(AFP/Vincenzo Pinto)

Ivica Kostelic , of Croatia, center, winner of a men's World Cup slalom race, celebrates on the podium with second placed Giorgio Rocca, of Italy, right, and third placed Manfred Pranger of Austria, in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy, Monday, Dec. 15, 2003. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

Ivica Kostelic, of Croatia, celebrates on the podium after winning a men's World Cup slalom race in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy, Monday, Dec. 15, 2003. (AP Photo/Armando Trovati)

From correspondnets in Madonna Di Campiglio, Italy
December 16, 2003

DEFENDING champion Ivica Kostelic of Croatia won the men's World Cup slalom race today, ahead of Italy's Giorgio Rocca and Manfred Pranger of Austria.

Kostelic timed 1min 33.26sec to come in 0.31sec ahead of Rocca, and 0.42 ahead of Pranger, who had been leading after the first leg.

It was the seventh World Cup slalom win for 24-year-old Kostelic, who had been trailing in sixth after the first run. But the brother of triple Olympic champion Janica Kostelic produced a perfect second run picking up speed in the second part to pull ahead of Rocca who had almost a half-second lead at that stage.


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