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Reigning champion Hosp extends lead with win in Maribor

Reigning World Cup champion Nicole Hosp of Austria extended her overall lead in the overall standings by winning the women's slalom in Maribor, Slovenia, on Sunday.

Hosp clocked the fastest time in the first run to finish 0.46 seconds ahead of Slovakia's Veronika Zuzulova with her great rival and compatriot Marlies Schild third at 0.51 seconds.

It was the second victory of the season for Hosp after Aspen last month, and her fourth podium of the winter, all in the slalom.

Hosp now has a 125-point lead on Maria Riesch, who finished seventh on Sunday, and Schild.

Speed event specialist Lindsey Vonn (17th) is fourth overall at 161 points behind Hosp with her American compatriot Julia Mancuso (24th), further adrift and still without a victory this season.

The Austrian's 11th World Cup success has given her title defense a huge boost, but Hosp will have to stay focused next weekend where three speed events will give her rivals a chance to catch up.

Bode Miller wins

AFP, WENGEN, SWITZERLAND

American Bode Miller has relaunched his overall World Cup ambitions by dominating the coveted Wengen downhill for the second year in a row in Wengen, Swizerland, on Sunday.

Miller finished ahead of Swiss racer Didier Cuche and Canada's Manuel Osborne-Paradis.

The Lauberhorn run is considered one of the most prestigious downhills, because of its technical challenges but also thanks to its length -- at 4.48km it is the longest and most gruelling on the circuit.

Miller had been showing all week in training that he was primed to defend his crown, and on Sunday the at-times erratic American stayed true to that promise.

Tom Hilde triumphs

AFP, PREDAZZO, ITALY

Norway's Tom Hilde collected his second ski jump victory in as many days in the World Cup event in Predazzo, Italy, on Sunday.

Hilde, 20, scored 253.4 points for two jumps of 124.5 and 128,5 metres to take first place ahead of World Cup leader Thomas Morgenstern of Austria, who scored 247.7 points (128.5/120.5) and Norway's Anders Jacobsen 246.6 (125/123.5).

Finland's Janne Ahonen, who last week won the Four Hills tournament for a fifth time, finished off the podium in fourth.
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