WINTER SPORTS : Girardelli Wins in Austria

Marc Girardelli of Luxembourg scored a triple victory Sunday by winning the World Cup slalom ski race at Kitzbuhel, Austria.

The victory also gave Girardelli the combined title and the lead in the overall standings.

It was the first victory of the season for Girardelli, who has had a long struggle with injuries.

“It’s a wonderful feeling,” he said. “I didn’t believe I had such reserves.”

Girardelli, who was first out of the gate in the first run, clocked the fastest time in each heat of the slalom for a combined time of 1:42.41. It was his first slalom victory since 1988.

Girardelli was eighth in Saturday’s downhill race. That finish, along with his victory in the slalom, gave him the combined title with 12.530 points.

He leads the overall standings with 151 points. Switzerland’s Franz Heinzer, who won the downhill race, is second with 129.

Petra Kronberger of Austria broke out of a short slump, winning the women’s slalom at Kranjska Gora, Yugoslavia, and expanding her overall lead in the World Cup standings.

Kronberger, eighth after the opening run, clocked a winning time of 1:24.19 and profited from mistakes that slowed several of her rivals.

Austria’s Ingrid Salvenmoser was second in 1:24.24, and Yugoslavia’s Veronika Sarec was third in 1:24.32.

Yugoslavia’s Natasa Bokal, who skied to her first World Cup victory in Saturday’s slalom, led after the opening heat, but fell in the second run.

Phil Mahre edged Bernhard Knauss to win the $25,000 Coca-Cola Cup slalom at Telluride, Colo., in the U.S. Pro Tour. Knauss continues to lead the tour standings over Torjus Berge of Norway, 275 points to 161.

Klaus Sulzenbacher of Austria finished 22nd in the cross-country event, but still won the World Nordic Combined Cup skiing title at Bad Goisern, Austria.

The victory helped Sulzenbacher pull within eight points of leader Fred Boerre Lundberg of Norway in the overall World Cup standings.

Monique Garbrecht won the 1,000-meter race and Heike Warnicke took the 3,000-meter title as Germans dominated the women’s World Cup speed-skating event at Davos, Switzerland.

Garbrecht was clocked in 1:23.02, finishing ahead of countrywoman Gunda Kleeman. Warnicke won the 3,000 in 4:36.25. Kleeman was second in 4:37.77.

Kazuhiro Higashi of Japan leaped 112.5 meters on his second try to win the large hill event at the Sapporo Ski Jump in Japan.

Higashi, who jumped 112 meters on his first try, finished with 214.8 points for his second victory this season.