Rapid Italian

Skiing

DEBORAH COMPAGNONI was fastest in the first leg of a women's World Cup giant slalom in Narvik, Norway, yesterday.

The Italian, winner of the world championship giant slalom gold at Sierra Nevada last month, skied the 41-gate course in 57.84sec, almost a second faster than team mate Sabina Panzanini. Germany's Martina Ertl, the favourite to take the World Cup giant slalom title in the finals in Lillehammer next week, finished in third.

On a bumpy course with tight turns, the Austrian, Karin Kollerer, made a late charge to take fourth place.