VAL D'ISERE; RUNS OF KILLY, MELQUIOND, PERILLAT, LINSTROEM, GRAHN, LACROIX; GRAHN AND KILLY AT END.




Initials RGH/VS/CR/GLH


SPORT: SKIING

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: SWEDISH SKIER, BENGT ERIK GRAHN, YESTERDAY (FRIDAY) WON THE MEN'S SLALOM IN THE CRITERIUM OF THE FIRST SNOW, THE TRADITIONAL OPENING MEETING OF THE EUROPEAN SKI SEASON.

GRAHN, AGED 26, WON BY JUST OVER A SECOND FROM THE FRENCH CHAMPION, JEAN-CLAUDE KILLY -- ALSO THE WORLD DOWNHILL CHAMPION. KILLY, HOWEVER, HAD WON THE GIANT SLALOM TWO DAYS EARLIER AND TOOK FIRST PLACE IN THE COMBINED CLASSIFICATION. GRAHN WAS SECOND.

SWEDISH SKIERS APPEARED TO BE ISSUING A CHALLENGE FOR THE COMING SEASON: THEY CLAIMED FOUR OF THE FIRST TEN PLACES IN THE SLALOM.

THIRD PLACE WENT TO ANOTHER FRENCH SKIER, LOUIS JAUFFRET. NEARLY 100 SKIERS COMPETED IN THE SLALOM.

GRAHN, A LAPLANDER, IN AUGUST HAD THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN HIS GRASP UNTIL TAKING ONE RISK TOO MANY. YESTERDAY HE TOOK HIS CHANCES AND THEY PAID OFF.

HE SURVIVED A LONG INJURY LAST YEAR TO WIN THIS SAME EVENT. HE WAS EASILY THE FASTEST FIRST TIME DOWN, BEATING JEAN-CLAUDE KILLY BY MORE THAN A SECOND.

GRAHN, HOWEVER, MADE AN EARLY MISTAKE IN THE SECOND RUN BUT FOUGHT ON TO NARROWLY BEAT KILLY IN THE TOTAL TIME OF THE TWO RUNS.