WINTER SPORTS : Bournissen Hurt Playing Volleyball

Driving rain turned to heavy snow Monday in Shizukuishi, Japan, forcing a postponement in the weather-plagued schedule of the World Alpine Ski Championships.

But without putting on a ski, Switzerland’s women’s team lost its best chance in the downhill.

While waiting for the weather to break, Swiss champion Chantal Bournissen, the 1991 World Cup downhill champion who was favored in this meet, broke her ankle playing volleyball with teammates and was sent home.

Dan Jansen won the men’s 500 meters World Cup sprint speedskating in 36.63 seconds at Saselga Di Pine, Italy. Jansen, from West Allis, Wis., finished second to Igor Zhelezovski of Belarus in the 1,000-meter race. Zhelezovski won in 1:14.32.

At Berlin, Gunda Niemann won the women’s all-around speedskating world championships for the third consecutive year. She won the 1,500-meters in 2:06.60 and the 5,000-meter event in 7:25.83.

Kurt Browning received three perfect 6.0s on the artistic side and edged Elvis Stojko at the Canadian figure skating championships in Hamilton, Ontario, Saturday.