Paerson takes super-combined Alpine skiing crown

By Manuele Lang

TARVISIO, Italy (Reuters) - Sweden''s Anja Paerson bounced back from a miserable world championships to win the super-combined Alpine skiing World Cup title on Friday.

Paerson, who left Val d''Isere empty-handed last weekend, was only fifth in the season''s finale of the discipline but it was enough for her to top the world standings after three races.

The race in Tarvisio was won by German Maria Riesch, who reduced the gap on American Lindsey Vonn in the overall World Cup standings.

"It has not been an easy day for me, I didn''t ski as well as I was hoping this morning in the downhill part as I made a bad mistake on my way down," said Paerson, the 2004-05 overall World Cup winner.

"Then I didn''t dare to take all risks in the final part of the slalom run as I had to finish in the top five to be sure to clinch the Super-combined title and score more World Cup points.

"It''s good to have won another World Cup title, my first one in that discipline, but I''ll keep on fighting hard for the overall title even though I know it will be tough now to challenge the leaders who have scored more points than me today," added Paerson.

The Swede also has slalom and giant slalom World Cup crowns to her name.

Riesch, the slalom world champion, produced a perfect slalom run to beat second placed Vonn by 0.49 seconds, clocking a combined best time of two minutes 18.57.

"My two runs were really good today, I was very excited to have skied so fast this morning in the downhill run and I felt very motivated for the slalom this afternoon," said the German.

"I could really go for it. After my great slalom win at Val d''Isere I feel very confident and I''m aiming for a great end of the season now."

Austrian Kathrin Zettel, the super-combined world champion, was third and 2.03 seconds off the pace after finishing the morning downhill run in 23rd position.

The women''s World Cup continues on Saturday with a downhill, also in the Italian resort of Tarvisio.

(Editing by Alan Baldwin)