Kostelic, Paerson Will Square Off

The women’s combined is a shortened downhill followed by two slalom runs at night. The best cumulative time wins the event.

Croatian Janica Kostelic is the defending Olympic champion and plans to ski despite having sat out Wednesday’s downhill because of a high pulse rate. Anja Paerson of Sweden figures to battle Kostelic for the gold. The two superstars have won four of the last five World Cup overall titles, Paerson the last two. As a 17-year-old at the Salt Lake City Games, American Lindsey Kildow finished sixth but is banged up after a training-run crash Monday. American Julia Mancuso could also contend.