Soelden, Austria - Tanja Poutiainen pipped Kathrin Zettel by one hundredth of a second for victory in the alpine ski season-opener in which hosts Austria also had to swallow a season-ending knee injury of Nicole Hosp. Hosp, 25, fell halfway through the first run on the Soelden glacier. She was airlifted to an Innsbruck clinic and underwent surgery later in the day.
The Austrian ski federation OeSV said that "the season is over" for the 2007 overall World Cup and giant slalom world champion Hosp, who will miss the Vancouver Olympics in February. She was also out of action for several weeks last season when she damaged her right knee.
The OeSV quoted doctor Cristian Hoser, who carried out the operation, as saying that the knee should heal "in five or six months" and that Hosp will be able to continue her career.
There was also no luck for Austria in the race results as Finland's Poutiainen clinched her ninth career World Cup win in 2 minutes 24.96 seconds, from third place after the first run.
Zettel clocked 2:24.97 after one grave mistake in the second run and the first-run leader Denise Karbon of Italy faded to third in 2:25.28 minutes after leading until the final split.
"At last I managed to win here," said Poutiainen as she reversed her 2008 defeat against Zettel at the same place.
The men have their season-opening giant slalom in Soelden on Sunday.
