SKIING
Austrian wins Cup slalom; Vonn crashes on first run
Marlies Schild of Austria won her second women’s World Cup slalom of the season Tuesday, while overall leader Lindsey Vonn and rival Maria Riesch crashed out in their first runs at Courchevel, France.
Schild was in second place behind Finland’s Tanja Poutiainen after the first run and completed a faultless second run to finish in a combined time of 1 minute, 34.95 seconds, 0.78 ahead of Poutiainen.
It was the 25th World Cup win for Schild, a two-time Olympic slalom medalist.
“It was a really good performance,” Schild said. “I was skiing really hard on the limit on the flat part. I always try to make speed, get faster.”
Slovenia’s Tine Maze was a distant third, 1.98 behind Schild.
Julia Mancuso of the U.S. placed 21st, nearly five seconds behind Schild.
Vonn and Riesch were among the 23 of 69 skiers who failed to finish the first run on the highly technical Stade Emile Allais course.
BASKETBALL
RED CLAWS PLAYER RECALLED: Charlotte recalled rookie guard Sherron Collins from the Maine Red Claws.
Collins appeared in five games with the Red Claws, averaging 12 points, 3.2 assists, 1.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game.
HORSE RACING
PREAKNESS: The future of the Preakness at Pimlico is in doubt after a vote by Maryland’s racing commission rejecting a proposal by the owners of Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Park to conduct live racing next year, meaning there won’t be horse racing at either track next year unless an agreement is reached.
That would leave the future of the Triple Crown event in doubt at the track where it has been run since 1873. Nearly $80 million was bet on the race this year.
TENNIS
NADAL-FEDERER EXHIBITION: Roger Federer beat Rafael Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 at Zurich to open a two-match exhibition series for charity between the world’s top-ranked men’s tennis players.
Federer sealed the victory on Nadal’s serve with a backhand cross-court return in front of 10,000 fans at Hallenstadion indoor arena. This was the first time they have played each other in Federer’s home country.
SOCCER
MLS: Landon Donovan said he will pass up the chance this offseason to be loaned to a European club for the third straight winter.
Donovan scored two goals in 13 matches during a loan to Everton from last January to March, helping the team beat Chelsea and Manchester United and play Arsenal to a draw. Everton Manager David Moyes appeared open to having Landon return.
Donovan said during the MLS playoffs last month that overcoming the mental fatigue was more challenging than dealing with the physical.
• Houston goalkeeper Pat Onstad has retired to take a job as an assistant coaching at D.C United.
The 42-year-old Onstad, the oldest player in MLS this season, helped the Dynamo to consecutive MLS Cup championships during his five years in Houston.
U.S. MEN’S TEAM: Defenders A.J. DeLaGarza and Sean Franklin are among 12 players with no international experience chosen for a national team training camp prior to a friendly against Chile.
Six of the 24 players on the squad announced for the Jan. 22 game in Carson, Calif., have played just one match for the national team, all in the second half of 2011. Alejandro Bedoya is the most senior player with six international appearances.
Others with no international experience are: goalkeepers Dominic Cervi, Sean Johnson, Matt Pickens and Anthony Wallace; defenders Zach Loyd and Ryan Miller; midfielders Eric Alexander and Jeff Larentowicz; and forwards Justin Braun and Chris Wondolowski.
GOLF
WOODS’ ANKLE TREATED: Tiger Woods had a cortisone shot in his right ankle 10 days ago for lingering soreness but has returned to work hitting balls and filming a commercial. Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, said Woods intended all along to have the shot after the Chevron World Challenge, which ended Dec. 5. He has nearly two months off before his next tournament at Torrey Pines.
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