FRIDAY: Poutiainen takes giant slalom silver

First-ever Finnish medal in an Alpine discipline

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Tanja Poutiainen  brought Finland its first-ever Alpine skiing Olympic medal this afternoon, finishing second behind Julia Mancuso of the United States in a giant slalom competition that was run in atrocious, near-blizzard conditions.
      The result was a triumph for the 25-year-old from Rovaniemi, who has struggled with her form all season after lifting both the slalom and giant slalom World Cup trophies in 2004/2005. This was clearly her best performance of the entire year, and came at exactly the right moment.
     
Poutiainen was third behind Mancuso and Anja Pärson of Sweden after her first run, and as the weather worsened, she produced a blistering second run to see off the challenge of Sweden's Anna Ottosson, who hauled herself from 13th place to take the bronze medal.
      Mancuso kept her head, however, and eventually finished 0.67 seconds in front of the Finn to provide some balm for the United States, whose Alpine campaign in Torino has been something of a disappointment so far.
      Poutiainen's example will hopefully be followed by Kalle Palander, who is numbered among the favourites in Saturday's men's slalom, the final Alpine event at these Olympics.
     
      Congratulations to Tanja!  


Links:
  Torino 2006 Official Site

Helsingin Sanomat