BEIJING, Jan. 26 (Xinhuanet  By sportswriter Gong Bing ) -- Out of question, the toughest rival for Croatian Janica Kostelic is Anja Paerson of Sweden in the women's Alpine skiing events at the coming 2006 Turin Winter Olympic Games.

    As a triple winner at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, the 23-year-old Kostelic pocketed the golds in the slalom, the giant slalom and the combined. She even added a silver medal in the Super-G.

    In last year's World Championships in Santa Caterina, Italy, Kostelic made another haul of three gold medals in the downhill, the slalom and the combined, thus she becomes a sure bet to add upmore golds to her credit in Turin.

    However, the Croatian played down her prospects. Kostelic said in the FIS World Cup in Bad Kleinkirchheim, Austria that she wouldbe happy with just one more gold to dangle from her neck and tipped the combined as her best chance.

    Paerson depressingly left Salt Lake City in 2002 with the silver and bronze medals. Nevertheless, the 24-year-old Swede rebounded with a pair of golds in the giant slalom and Super-G plus a silver medal in the combined at last year's Worlds. She hasnow entered five events and hoped to earn one gold medal.

    Veteran Austrian Alexandra Meissnitzer is the best downhill skier this year behind Lindsey Kildow and Michaela Dorfmeister, but she merely aims for a medal of any tint.

    American Kildow did a good job in the downhill as she won back-to-back titles in Lake Louise, Alberta, and Val d'Isere, France, but has failed since. She even finished 18th in a latest World Cup downhill in Austria.

    Austrian Dorfmeister is in her final season before retirement. The 32-year-old leads the downhill World Cup standings and overtakes Paerson for the second place in the overall standing behind Kostelic.

    For the men's programs, Austrian Michael Walchhofer, and American Daron Rahlves and Bode Miller are the favorites. Miller was the downhill winner of last year's Worlds, followed by Rahlvesand Walchhofer. He also finished second in both the giant slalom and the combined in Salt Lake City.

    As four-time medallist in the 2005 World Championships, Benjamin Raich of Austria won golds in the slalom and the combinedas well as a silver medal in the giant slalom and a bronze medal in Super-G.

    In the giant slalom, top three finishers in last year's standings Miller, Raich and Thomas Grandi of Canada are competing for the gold medal in Turin, while Miller has the best chance.

    The Alpine events will take place from February 12-25 at Sestriere sub-area Borgata, Sestriere sub-area Colle and San Sicario Fraiteve. Enditem