Levi, Finland - World champion Maria Riesch of Germany claimed victory Saturday in the opening women's slalom World Cup race of the season in Levi.

Riesch also led after the first run and secured her win in the second World Cup race of the season with a combined time of 1 minute 48.71 seconds. Overall world champion Lindsey Vonn of the United States finished second in 1:48.79 with Finland's Tanja Poutiainen a distant third on 1:49.87 minutes. (dpa)

Levi, Finland - Jean-Baptiste Grange of France took victory in the opening men's slalom of the Alpine skiing World Cup season in Levi Sunday, beating American Bode Miller into second place.

Grange sealed the fourth win of his career in Finland with runs of 51.72 and 52.77 seconds for a total of 1 minute 44.49 seconds. Overall world champion Miller finished second with a combined total of 1:45.28 minutes for his two runs followed by Austrian Mario Matt in 1:45.42 minutes.

Levi, Finland - Jean-Baptiste Grange of France took victory in the opening men's slalom of the Alpine skiing World Cup season in Levi Sunday, beating American Bode Miller into second place.

Grange sealed the win in Finland with runs of 51.72 and 52.77 seconds for a total of 1 minute 44.49 seconds. Miller finished second with a combined total of 1:45.28 minutes for his two runs followed by Austrian Mario Matt in 1:45.42 minutes. (dpa)

Levi, Finland - Lindsey Vonn of the United States clinched her maiden World Cup slalom in the first women's slalom of the alpine ski World Cup season in the Finnish resort of Levi on Saturday.

Vonn, last season's overall winner and downhill champion, almost crashed out on the second leg but recovered to finish 0.40 seconds ahead of Maria Pietilae-Holmer of Sweden.

It was the 14th World Cup win for 24-year-old Vonn but the first in the slalom discipline for the downhill specialist.

Last season's slalom champion Maria Riesch of Germany edged Austria's Nicole Hosp for third place.