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Show WDnfloD (Dnnjp SDsfiBimg Zurbriggen injured in climb to the top It was a costly triumph for Pirmin Zurbriggen. The 22-year-old Swiss sensation knocked Luxumbourgs Marc Girar-delli Girar-delli out of the lead in the overall World Cup standings last weekend with a pair of victories on the infamous downhill course in Kitz-buhel Kitz-buhel doubleheader. But Zurbriggen's accomplishments accomplish-ments were clouded by a knee injury suffered during Saturday's race which may force him to miss the upcoming World Championships. "I will not risk anything," Zurbriggen told a Swiss newspaper Tuesday. "Before I start again I will be healthy, World Championships or not." The best performance by an American during the past week was the fifth place posted by Eva Twardokens in a slalom Monday in Pfronten, West Germany. Twardokens Twardok-ens also finished ninth in a super giant slalom held at Pfonten the previous day and eighth in slalom at Bad Kleinkircheim, Austria on Jan. 11. Otherwise, Americans had little to cheer about. , Tamara McKinney, trying to regain the title she lost a year ago, dropped from fourth place to 10th in the overall World Cup standings while Olympic gold medalist Bill Johnson continues to flounder in the downhill. One the women's tour, Zurbig- gens teammates swept many of the honors during the past week. Swiss skiers led by Michela Figini finished 1-2-3 in a pair of downhill races at Bad Kleinkircheim Jan. 9 and 10. French skier Christelle Guidnard edged Italy's Maria Rosa Quario to win the slalom at Bad Kleinkircheim Jan. 1 1 , but Swiss skiers catured the next three places. On Jan. 13 it was Figini again, taking first place in a super giant slalom at Pfronten, West Germany her third win in five days. Marina Kiehl of West Germany was second but another Swiss skier, Maria Walliser, finished third. The following day, in a slalom at Pfonten, first prize went to Italy's Paoletta Magoni with teammate Daniela Zini in third. But sandwiched sandwich-ed in between was another Swiss skier, Brigette Oertli. In other World Cup action, Girardelli helped regain some of the ground he had lost to Zurbriggen by finishing first in a slalom at Kitzbuhel Jan.13. And Hans Enn of Austria won his sixth career World Cup race Jan. 15 in a giant slalom at Adelboden, Switzerland. On the Europa Cup curcuit, Park City's Tori Pillinger is starting to make her presence felt. She finished 25th and 23rd in a pair of downhills and 22nd in a super giant slalom, all at Stoos, Switzerland. |