Kostelic, Paerson Meet Again With an Olympic Title at Stake

This race could be a repeat of the one at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, when Janica Kostelic of Croatia won the gold and Anja Paerson of Sweden won the bronze.

Kostelic has won two medals at Turin, a gold in combined and a silver in super-giant slalom. Paerson has a bronze in downhill and combined and finished 12th in the super-G.

Other contenders are Austrians Marlies Schild and Kathrin Zettel.

This is the United States’ weakest event, with hopes pinned on Kristina Koznick, who will try to ski with an injured knee.