Skiing: Gold for Fenninger

Anna Fenninger of Austria claimed the gold medal in the women's super-combined event at the World Championships on Friday.

The 21-year-old finished fourth in the morning downhill behind team-mate and super-G champion Elisabeth Goergl.

But a fine slalom run took her to the top of the podium in a time of two minutes 43.23 seconds as Goergl slipped out of the medal positions.

Tina Maze of Slovenia bounced back from a disappointing downhill to take second place just 0.09secs behind, with veteran Anja Paerson of Sweden clinching bronze - her 12th world championship medal.

Goergl ended up in fifth place just behind Dominique Gisin of Switzerland, while Gisin's team-mate Lara Gut was in contention for a second medal of the championships before crashing out of the slalom.

Emotional

"I can't realise it yet," said the emotional Fenninger. "It was very hard, the slope was really bad. The snow kept springing up, but I just fought through.

"I wanted to prove to everyone I could do it in the slalom.

"When you say that to me (that I'm world champion), I can't believe it. It still has to sink in."

American Lindsey Vonn finished 12th in the downhill and opted out of the slalom to help her prepare for the busy upcoming schedule.

The defending downhill champion is still suffering the effects of a heavy fall last week and once again found it hard to retain concentration.

"Unfortunately I lost focus about three-quarters, halfway down the course," she said. "It wasn't as bad as it was in the super-G by any means, but I definitely felt it still, and I'm not 100 percent yet.

"Everything is still looking pretty positive and I'm still making good progress. I just have to keep giving it rest and keep making sure that I'm skiing with no symptoms.

"I passed all my tests yesterday and today, so it's just a matter of getting the rest that I need and hopefully being ready for the (downhill) race on Sunday."

Maria Riesch took part despite suffering the effects of a virus, finishing two seconds off the pace in the downhill before finishing in 11th place.

Result
1. Anna Fenninger (Austria) 1:49.67 53.56 2:43.23
2. Tina Maze (Slovenia) 1:50.38 52.94 2:43.32
3. Anja Paerson (Sweden) 1:49.54 53.96 2:43.50
4. Dominique Gisin (Switzerland) 1:49.53 54.37 2:43.90
5. Elisabeth Goergl (Austria) 1:49.27 54.85 2:44.12
6. Denise Feierabend (Switzerland) 1:50.09 54.42 2:44.51
7. Julia Mancuso (U.S.) 1:50.18 54.38 2:44.56
8. Johanna Schnarf (Italy) 1:50.80 53.79 2:44.59
9. Marusa Ferk (Slovenia) 1:51.94 53.06 2:45.00
10. Lotte Smiseth Sejersted (Norway) 1:51.17 53.85 2:45.02