Lindh is Surprise Winner at Alpine Championships

Hilary Lindh, who nearly retired a year ago, was a surprise winner in the women’s downhill at the World Alpine Ski Championships Saturday in Sestriere, Italy.

Lindh, 27, claimed her first world gold by only .06 seconds. Her other medals include a bronze in the 1996 World Championships and a silver in downhill at the 1992 Olympics.

It was the first medal this season for the United States, which fielded a team weakened by injuries to Tommy Moe and Picabo Street.

Switzerland’s Heidi Zurbriggen got the silver and Sweden’s Pernilla Wiberg took the bronze.

In the men’s slalom, Norway’s Tom Stiansen claimed the gold and France’s Sebastien Amiez took the silver. Alberto Tomba had an impressive second run, but took the bronze medal.

Lindh of Juneau, Alaska, was timed in 1 minute 41.18 seconds. Zurbriggen finished at 1:41.24 and Wiberg in 1:41.44.

“In the United States, the only thing that matters is the big events--winning the worlds or Olympics is the only way you get recognition,” Lindh said.

Lindh was the United States’ top woman skier in the speed events five years ago. But a serious knee injury in 1993 set her back, with her only three World Cup wins coming in 1994. In 1996 world championships, Street won the gold and Lindh settled for the bronze.

A record number of skiers underwent drug tests at this year’s championships and all passed, ski federation officials said as the two-week event ended.

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Chris Thorpe and Gordy Sheer became the first Americans to capture the World Cup luge season championship.

Thorpe and Sheer finished third in the season-ending race at Nagano, Japan, but earned enough points for the title.

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Ids Postma of the Netherlands won the 1,500 meters at the World Speedskating Championship at Nagano, Japan, and is in good position to win the overall title.

K.S. Boutiette of Tacoma, Wash., finished second in the 1,500 meters and was third in the overall standings.

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Casey Colby of Lake Placid, N.Y., who won the U.S. large hill ski-jump championship last week, won the first half of the Fred Harris Memorial Tournament at Harris Hill, Vermont.

Colby, 22, matched second-place finisher Randy Weber of Steamboat Springs, Colo., with a second jump of 89 meters.

Football

Jeff George, cast aside by his hometown Indianapolis Colts and most recently by the Atlanta Falcons, was introduced as the new quarterback of the Oakland Raiders.

The Raiders signed the free-agent George to a five-year, $27.5 million contract.

The contract was completed Friday, George’s agent Leigh Steinberg said, and includes $10 million in signing bonuses--$5 million now and an additional $5 million in two years.

The Buffalo Bills are interested in Raider backup quarterback Billy Joe Hobert and are expected to give up a third-round draft choice.

The trade would come two weeks after longtime starter Jim Kelly announced his retirement. Hobert would compete with Todd Collins, Kelly’s backup the last two years.

Tennis

Thomas Muster outshot Jim Courier, 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 6-3, in a battle of strong hitters in a semifinal match of the $1-million Dubai Open in the United Arab Emirates. He will face top-seeded Goran Ivanisevic for the championship

Ivanisevic, the defending champion, defeated Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, in the other semifinal.

Pete Sampras defeated Todd Martin, 6-2, 6-3, to advance to the Sybase Open final at the San Jose Arena.

Sampras, ranked No. 1 in the world, will defend his title against Andre Agassi or Greg Rusedski, who played Saturday night.

Martin, ranked No. 14 and seeded fourth, has tendinitis in his right knee and was playing his first tournament since November. Martin struggled with his first serve and had three double faults.

Top-seeded Marcelo Rios will play Thomas Enqvist in the finals of France’s Marseille Open by defeating two-time French Open winner Sergi Bruguera, 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 6-4. Enqvist edged Fabrice Santoro of France, 6-4, 6-3, to advance.

Martina Hingis of Switzerland continued her unbeaten streak, defeating Iva Majoli of Croatia, 6-1, 6-3, in the semifinals of the Paris Open. Hingis, who has lost only three sets this year, will meet Anke Huber of Germany, a 6-4, 6-3, semifinal winner over Czech’s Jana Novotna.

Boxing

Sirimongkol Singmanassuk of Thailand defended his WBC bantamweight title, scoring a unanimous decision over Jesus Sarabia of Mexico in their 12-round bout at Nakhon Phanom, Thailand.