OSLO, Norway \u2014 Petra Vlhova of Slovakia took advantage of her height to beat overall World Cup leader Mikaela Shiffrin in both runs of the final and win a parallel slalom city event Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The 5-foot-11 Vlhova was able to cross check gates out of her way with both fists while the more compact Shiffrin, at 5-foot-7, had to maneuver further around the gates.<\/p>\n
Cross checking is a key tactic in parallel events, which use wider gates with panels compared to traditional slaloms which have only poles as gates.<\/p>\n
Vlhova finished 0.39 seconds ahead of Shiffrin for the sixth victory of her career, and second in five days following a giant slalom win in Semmering, Austria, last week. She led by 0.21 seconds after the first run.<\/p>\n
Wendy Holdener of Switzerland beat Anna Swenn Larsson of Sweden for third.<\/p>\n
In the men’s race, Austria’s Marco Schwarz claimed the first World Cup victory of his career when British opponent Dave Ryding missed a gate.<\/p>\n
Schwarz’s previous best finish was second in a traditional slalom in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy, last month.<\/p>\n
First ever<\/p>\n
Ryding was attempting to become the first British skier \u2014 man or woman \u2014 in the 51-year history of the World Cup to win a race. He also finished second in a traditional slalom in Kitzbuehel, Austria, two years ago.<\/p>\n
Ryding eliminated overall World Cup leader Marcel Hirscher in the quarterfinals when Hirscher straddled a gate as he attempted to erase a first-run deficit.<\/p>\n
Ramon Zenhaeusern of Switzerland took third when Olympic champion Andre Myhrer of Sweden skied out in the second run of the small final.<\/p>\n
Vlhova and Schwarz, both 23, each won gold medals at the 2012 Youth Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria.<\/p>\n
Needing to complete eight runs over four rounds to win in a knockout format, skiers were shuttled back up to the start after each leg following brief pit stops with their ski technicians.<\/p>\n
The night event was held inside the Holmenkollen ski jumping arena, which was used for the 1952 Olympics.<\/p>\n
The World Cup resumes with slalom races for men and women in Zagreb, Croatia, this weekend.<\/p>\n
Another parallel city event is scheduled for Stockholm, Sweden, on Feb. 19.<\/p>\n