SKIING / BOB LOCHNER : Knauss Again Heads Rich U.S. Pro Tour

It’s another winter and another dollar for the U.S. Pro Tour, which launched a 13-stop odyssey earlier this month with a troupe again led by one of the world’s richest skiers, Bernhard Knauss.

The 29-year-old Austrian, who had briefly considered retiring as a pro and joining the World Cup circuit--sort of like Brian Boitano skating in the Olympics again after several years in ice shows--decided to hang around for another season and promptly won both the slalom and giant slalom at Purgatory, Colo. The victories, his 64th and 65th, boosted his earnings close to $1.4 million.

Although Chrysler reduced its involvement to four weekends, tour President Ed Rogers has lined up several new sponsors to keep the total prize money for 1994-95 well over $1 million, more than enough to keep Knauss interested.

The pros’ head-to-head dual format will be on display twice in California--at Snow Summit, where $70,000 will be at stake Jan. 12-15, and at Heavenly, site of the $110,000 World Professional Championships Jan. 26-29.

Three races, including a downhill, had been scheduled last weekend at Schladming, Austria, but were postponed because of the snow shortage in the Alps. Now, with temperatures having turned cold enough for snow making to be effective, at least the giant slalom and slalom will be held there Dec. 29-30.

Knauss, beginning his seventh season as a pro, will face tough opposition, mainly from several other Austrians, including defending champion Sebastian Vitzthum, who lost in the final of the opening giant slalom, and Roland Pfiefer, runner-up in the next day’s slalom.

The leading American challengers are Felix McGrath of Norwich, Vt., third in the 1988 World Cup slalom standings and ninth on the U.S. Pro Tour last season, and Robert Ormsby of Squaw Valley, who was fourth in the giant slalom at Purgatory.

“Ormsby has really improved,” tour spokesman Don Metivier said. “He was 25th in the standings last winter but should move up quickly, because he’s learned how important the start is in pro racing. That’s where you win or lose. You can’t give a guy like Knauss a half-second jump and hope to catch up.

“Some racers, such as (former pro) Tiger Shaw, have a lot of ability, but never master the start and give up after a year or two.”

Shaw, like McGrath. was once a leading U.S. contender in World Cup competition, where all the top skiers are paid, just like the pros. The only differences are how and when the money is distributed, and on average, the World Cup stars wind up with much fatter bank accounts.

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Although most of the names are the same in the men’s division, the $500,000 Women’s Pro Ski Tour has a new star this season, and she is an American.

Julie Parisien, silver medalist in the 1993 World Alpine Ski Championships, will compete on the nine-meet circuit, which comes to California Feb. 17-19 at Squaw Valley and Feb. 24-26 at Kirkwood.

Parisien, 23, of Auburn, Me., makes her pro debut Dec. 30-Jan. 1 at Wachusett, Mass.

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Alberto Tomba turned 28 Monday, then won two more slaloms Tuesday and Wednesday at Lech am Arlberg, Austria, widening his lead in the standings over Michael Von Gruenigen of Switzerland, 450 points to 294. Tomba has won all four slaloms this season and six in a row dating to last winter. Von Gruenigen dislocated a shoulder when he fell in the second heat Wednesday and will miss today’s giant slalom at Alta Badia, Italy.

Tomba’s lead had shrunk to one point when Von Gruenigen won Sunday’s giant slalom at Val d’Isere, France, a race in which the Italian withdrew after the first run because of a sore rib.

Val d’Isere was also the scene of two downhills that turned into an all-Austrian show as Josef Strobl won Friday and Armin Assinger led a 1-2-3-4 sweep Saturday.

It was a lost weekend for Americans. Olympic downhill champion Tommy Moe finished 33rd and tied for 32nd, unable to beat even teammate AJ Kitt, who was 12th and 21st.

Moe told the Associated Press, “I just don’t have the momentum. I am a little off in my technique. I like more demanding courses, like Whistler (Canada), Kitzbuehel (Austria) and Bormio (Italy).”

Then, denying he felt undue pressure this season, he added, “I have already had a much greater career than I ever expected.”

In the women’s standings, Vreni Schneider, 30 and in her 11th season on the circuit, moved into second place behind Swiss teammate Heidi Zeller-Baehler by winning a slalom under the lights at Sestriere, Italy, Sunday night. It was the 53rd World Cup victory for Schneider, who needs nine more to equal the women’s record held by Austrian Annemarie Moser-Proell.

Zeller-Baehler has 485 points, 99 more than Schneider.

Skiing Notes

Holiday skiing began last weekend and is gradually gaining momentum both in the Sierra and the local mountains. After a brief Christmas Day lull, the resorts figure to become jammed by Monday and stay that way throughout the week. Near-record early-season snowfalls are mainly the reason. The slopes around Lake Tahoe are blanketed with 100 inches or more in many places, and Mammoth Mountain has 84 to 96 inches with all 27 lifts running. Five Southland ski areas--Bear Mountain, Snow Summit, Snow Valley, Mountain High and Mt. Baldy--are operating daily on up to 36 inches of packed powder.