Dorfmeister in the groove

Dorfmeister won the race by more than a second

Overall World Cup leader Michaela Dorfmeister has warmed up for the Winter Olympics with a convincing win in the women's giant slalom at Are in Sweden.

The 28-year-old Austrian beat Sweden's Anja Paerson into second place by 1.18 seconds on Thursday in the final women's giant slalom before next week's Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Dorfmeister recorded a time of two minutes 24.71 seconds, while Switzerland's Sonja Nef, the World Cup leader in the giant slalom, was third in 2:26.36.

Norway's Stina Hofgard Nilsen, who won her first World Cup victory in Cortina d'Ampezzo on Sunday, hurt her knee when she fell in the second run.

Her team-mate Andrine Flemmen crashed out in the first leg, as did former World Cup overall champion Renate Goetschl of Austria.

---

Thursday's World Cup giant slalom results:

1 Michaela Dorfmeister (Aut) two minutes, 24.71 seconds
2 Anja Paerson (Swe) 2:25.89
3 Sonja Nef (Swi) 2:26.36
4 Alexandra Meissnitzer (Aut) 2:26.44
5 Franzi Aufdenblatten (Swi) 2:26.59
6 Selina Heregger (Aut) 2:26.74