VERONIKA Zuzulová, number 21, set a Slovak record.photo: TASR
SLOVAK downhill skier Veronika Zuzulová placed third in the Women's Alpine Ski World Cup on February 8 in Germany's Region Arber, advancing to the 12th position in the sport's overall rating. So far, the skier's best score was 10th place in the 2002 competition for the cup in Aare, Sweden.
Zuzulová is now guaranteed a place in the top team of the Slovak Olympic Committee and holds the honour of being the best in the history of alpine skiing in independent Slovakia. Zuzulová is the second Slovak to have scored among the top three at this contest: Jana Gantnerová-Šoltýsová won the World Cup in 1980 in Altenmarkt, Austria.
The 19-year-old Zuzulová, wearing the number 21, was the fastest in the second round of the race, beating this winter's favourite, Anja Paerson from Sweden, by almost one second. Zuzulová ended the first round of the competition in 17th place.
Paerson won the world cup with a time of 1:29.58, followed by German Monika Bergmann-Schmuderer (+0.44), and Zuzulová (+0.68).
