Slovak skier Velez Zuzulova leads WCup slalom after 1st run

FLACHAU, Austria (AP) Veronika Velez Zuzulova of Slovakia built a commanding lead in the first run of a women's World Cup slalom on Tuesday.

In difficult conditions due to snowfall, Velez Zuzulova timed 52.15 seconds on the floodlit Hermann Maier World Cup Course to lead Wendy Holdener of Switzerland by 0.54, and Sarka Strachova of Czech Republic by 0.84.

The rest of the field was more than a second behind.

Nina Loeseth of Norway, who won the previous slalom in Santa Caterina, Italy, a week ago, was 1.08 off the lead, while Frida Hansdotter, who leads the discipline standings, had 1.32 to make up in the second run.

Velez Zuzulova, who was the 2002 junior world slalom champion, is chasing her third career World Cup win and first in three years.