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 grave knee injury from Nicole Hosp.

Hosp, 25, fell halfway through the first run on the Soelden glacier. She was airlifted to an Innsbruck clinic where examinations revealed the grave nature of the injury which will require surgery, according to the Austrian Press Agency APA.

Soelden, Austria - Austrian icon Hermann Maier was back skiing on snow Tuesday for the first time in seven months after knee surgery amid ongoing speculation about his future in the sport.

"I am pleasantly surprised, that's the best thing I can say," Austrian Press Agency APA quoted him as saying after first runs on the Soelden glacier.

Maier said that the troubled right knee felt as if nothing ever happened and that a recent shinbone injury also caused no problems, giving an indication that another season for the 37-year-old veteran is possible.

The "Herminator" Maier is yet to speak out about his future. He said on Monday night he would make a decision after seeing how he copes on the piste.

Soelden, Austria - Daniel Albrecht won the men's alpine skiing season-opener on Sunday when he dominated a giant slalom ahead of fellow-Swiss Didier Cuche.

Albrecht clocked a combined total of 2 minutes 15.78 seconds from two runs on the glacier course to claimed his second career win.

Cuche had 2:15.92 and Ted Ligety of the US placed third, far off the pace in 2:17.03 minutes.

Soelden, Austria - Austria's Kathrin Zettel claimed victory in the opening Alpine skiing World Cup race of the season Saturday, a women's giant slalom in Soelden.

Local hero Zettel recorded times of 1 minute 9.98 seconds and 1:13.01 for her two runs to claim victory in a combined time of 2:22.99 minutes.

Finland's Tanja Poutiainen finished in second place, nearly a second behind the winner with a time of 2:23.97 minutes followed by Austrian Andrea Fischbacher. (dpa)

Soelden, Austria - Italian skier Elena Fancini will miss the entire World Cup season with a knee injury.

The eldest of the three Fancini sisters suffered the injury to her left knee during speed training in Hintertux, Austria.

In February 2005, Fancini finished second behind Croatia's Janica Kostelic at the World Alpine Ski Championships in Italy's Santa Caterina.

The women's downhill World Cup season begins on December 5 at Lake Louise, Canada. (dpa)

Soelden, Austria  - The international ski federation FIS has agreed to the hosting of a parallel slalom in Moscow on January 2 with prize money totally 160,000 euros on offer.

According to FIS race director Guenter Hujara, Austria's Hermann Maier, Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway and American Bode Miller have already agreed to take part in the race, which is expected to involve the top 10 slalom skiers.

The race was originally planned for November but had to be moved to January for logistical reasons. A 50-metre-high slope will be erected to host the race.