Rahlves Ends Career With Super-G Title

Daron Rahlves ended his 13-year racing career Sunday by successfully defending his super-G title at the U.S. national championships in Carrabassett Valley, Maine.

Another Californian, 21-year-old Stacey Cook, edged local favorite Kirsten Clark for the women’s super-G title.

The win gave Rahlves his seventh national title, including four in super-G. He will not race in Tuesday’s giant slalom. Rahlves, runner-up to local favorite Bode Miller in Saturday’s downhill, covered the Narrow Gauge course in 1 minute 18.80 seconds. Scott Macartney placed second in 1:19.11.

Thomas Lanning, returning from a series of serious injuries, was third in 1:19.55 -- leaving Miller fourth. Miller, leading after the first two intervals, hit a gate on the bottom section. He was fourth in 1:19.64.

“I skied good. I hooked my arm ... before I came into view on this bottom flat,” said Miller, who was third in the season’s World Cup overall standings after winning the title last year. “Slammed myself pretty good. My arm was all numbed up.”

Clark, who grew up racing at Sugarloaf and won Saturday’s women’s downhill, finished in 1:24.01 to Cook’s winning 1:23.90. Kaylin Richardson was third in 1:24.04, bumping Julia Mancuso off the podium and ending the Olympic giant slalom champion’s streak of 12 consecutive national championship podium finishes.

Anette Norberg’s Swedish curling team defeated Debbie McCormick and the U.S., 10-9, to defend its world championship in Grande Prairie, Canada.

Norberg edged McCormick with her final shot of the game, adding another title to the Olympic gold Sweden won last month. Canada’s Kelly Scott finished third.

TENNIS

Mauresmo Advances; Craybas Surprises Again

The lone American woman left at the Nasdaq-100 Open is Jill Craybas, which says a bit about Amelie Mauresmo’s title chances.

With many of her chief rivals absent or eliminated, the top-ranked Mauresmo beat Marion Bartoli, 6-4, 6-0, to reach the fourth round at Key Biscayne, Fla.

Craybas ousted a seeded opponent for the second day in a row, beating 27th-seeded Klara Koukalova, 6-1, 6-2. Craybas eliminated Kim Clijsters on Saturday.

Fellow Americans Serena and Venus Williams and Lindsay Davenport withdrew before the tournament.

Two-time champion Martina Hingis was beaten by Svetlana Kuznetsova.

The 12th-seeded Kuznetsova overcame a match point to beat the 24th-seeded Hingis, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (9). Hingis lost before the quarterfinals for only the second time in eight events since returning from a three-year layoff.

The new instant replay system failed to help Hingis. She appealed when her final shot was ruled wide, and a replay confirmed the call correct.

Fourth-seeded Maria Sharapova erased eight set points in the second set and beat Maria Elena Camerin, 6-2, 7-6 (2).

Daniela Hantuchova, seeded 13th, lost to Eleni Daniilidou, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2; and Elena Likhovtseva seeded 15th, lost to Ai Sugiyama, 3-6, 7-5, 6-0.

Meghann Shaughnessy, who upset Justine Henin-Hardenne in the second round, was eliminated by Sofia Arvidsson, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (5).

In men’s play, third-seeded David Nalbandian won the final 11 games to rally past Tomas Berdych, 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-0, and fifth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko rallied to beat Marcos Baghdatis, 2-6, 6-2, 7-5.

GOLF

Van de Velde Struggles but Prevails

Jean Van de Velde took a four-stroke lead into the 18th hole in the Madeira Island Open at Santo da Serra, and this time he hung on -- barely.

Despite a double bogey on the final hole, the Frenchman known for his collapse at the 1999 British Open at Carnoustie closed with a four-under 68 to win by one shot over Lee Slattery of England.

Van de Velde finished at 15-under 273 for his first European victory since the 1993 Rome Masters. He lost his European tour card last season after struggling because of knee injuries, but the victory makes him exempt through 2007.

Van de Velde had a three-shot lead going to the last hole at Carnoustie but wound up losing in a playoff to Paul Lawrie.

COLLEGE HOCKEY

Maine, Wisconsin Reach Frozen Four

John Hopson scored twice, Derek Damon had a goal and an assist, and Greg Moore’s empty-netter in the final minute ended up being the winner in Maine’s 5-4 victory over Michigan State (25-12-8) in the East Regional final at Albany, N.Y., putting the Bears in the NCAA tournament’s Frozen Four for the ninth time.

Maine (28-11-2), which won titles in 1993 and 1999, will play Wisconsin in the April 6 semifinals in Milwaukee.

Wisconsin (28-10-3) needed three overtimes to beat Cornell (22-9-4), 1-0, at Green Bay, Wis.

Boston College (25-12-3) will play North Dakota in the other semifinal after beating Boston University, 5-0, on Saturday. North Dakota (27-10-2) beat Holy Cross (29-15-1), 5-2, on Saturday.

Jessie Vetter made 32 saves and Jinelle Zaugg had two power-play goals to help Wisconsin (36-4-1) win its first NCAA women’s hockey title with a 3-0 victory over Minnesota (29-11-1) at Minneapolis. Vetter, who beat St. Lawrence, 1-0, in the semifinals Friday, was selected the tournament’s most valuable player. She had five shutouts this season. Brittony Chartier had 16 saves for Minnesota, which won the previous two NCAA titles, but ended up 1-5 against Wisconsin this season.

BOWLING

Williams Ties Anthony for PBA Tour Record

Walter Ray Williams Jr. tied the late Earl Anthony for the PBA Tour victory record, beating Pete Weber, 236-213, in the final round of the Denny’s World Championship in Indianapolis for his 41st win in a major PBA tournament.

Williams finished the final round with six strikes and four spares. Weber, who was shooting for a record-tying eighth career major, earned $50,000.

ARENA FOOTBALL

Nagy Leads Georgia With Eight Touchdowns

Matt Nagy threw eight touchdown passes -- six to Chris Jackson -- in the Georgia Force’s 61-51 victory over the Tampa Bay Storm (5-4) in Atlanta. Georgia improved to 5-4.

Matt D’Orazio threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Cornelius White with four seconds left and the Chicago Rush (4-5) beat the Grand Rapids Rampage (3-6), 51-44, in Rosemont, Ill.

SOCCER

Manchester United Blanks Birmingham

Ryan Giggs scored twice and Manchester United beat relegation-threatened Birmingham City, 3-0, in an English Premier League match in London.

The Red Devils are back in second place with 66 points -- 12 behind league-leading Chelsea. Liverpool is third with 64 points.