■ Skiing
Palander beats conditions
Finland's Kalle Palander conquered rain, snow, sleet and deteriorating course conditions to win an irregular World Cup giant slalom on Saturday. Leading after the opening leg, Palander twisted his way down the soggy Kuonisbaergli course in a two-run combined time of 2 minutes, 32.15 seconds, for his second giant slalom victory of the season. He also replaced Bode Miller of the US atop the the discipline standings. "This was a very difficult victory, I really had to fight for it," Palander said after his first win in Switzerland. "It's all the more beautiful because I took the leader's red bib. It's a beautiful color. I never thought I would be wearing it. Last year I was really frustrated in the giant slalom and almost gave it up." Italy's Massimiliano Blardone was runner-up in 2:32.89 for his second career podium finish.
■ Weightlifting
Shang stripped of medals
Chinese weightlifter Shang Shichun has been stripped of three gold medals she won last November at the world championships in Vancouver after failing a urine drug test -- a decision she is appealing, state media reported yesterday. Shang, who broke three world records in the women's 75kg division at the World Weightlifting Championships in November, was among 11 athletes worldwide whose results have been disqualified, the Xinhua News Agency and Beijing Morning Post reported. Results posted on the Web site of the Budapest-based International Weightlifting Federation also showed that Shang's results had been thrown out. Chinese weightlifting officials were conducting their own investigation and promised to cooperate fully with the nation's Olympics committee and the IWF, the Beijing Morning Post said. The reports didn't specify what drug was found in her tests. Shang says the tests weren't carried out properly, adding she noticed at the time that the bags that held the sampling instruments weren't sealed, Xinhua reported.
■ Snowboarding
Clark wins halfpipe title
Olympic gold medalist Kelly Clark won the women's halfpipe title Saturday in the Chevrolet US Snowboard Grand Prix, and Andy Finch took the men's event. Clark had a top score of 41.50 out of 50 points. Lindsey Jacobellis was second at 33.20, and Tricia Byrnes came in third at 32.4. Finch finished with 45.5 points. Ross Powers was second at 45.1, and J.J. Thomas was third at 43.4.
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