SKIERS FROM TWELVE COUNTRIES ARE TAKING PART IN THE 10TH CRITERIUM OF THE FIRST SNOW, AT THE VAL D'ISERE, NEAR GRENOBLE IN SOUTH EAST FRANCE THIS WEEKEND. THIS IS THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONTEST OF THE SEASON.

ON SATURDAY, THE WOMEN'S GIANT SLALOM EVENT WAS HELD. THE OUTSTANDING VICTORY BY FRENCH COMPETITORS IN THE SPECIAL SLALOM ON FRIDAY, WAS AVENGED WHEN THE GIANT SLALOM WAS WON BY THERESE OBRECHT OF SWITZERLAND. HER TIME OVER THE COURSE WAS 1 MINUTE 15.67 SECONDS. BUT TWO FRENCH GIRLS TOOK SECOND AND THIRD PLACES. MADELEINE BOCHATAY WAS SECOND IN 1 MINUTE 15.85 SECONDS. MARIELLE GONSCHEL WAS THIRD IN 1 MINUTE 16.27 SECONDS.

THE RACE WAS HELD OVER THE 53-GATE, KILOMETRE-LONG COURSE, WHICH TOOK ITS TOLL IN ABANDONS, INCLUDING CHRISTINE GOITSCHEL, THE VICTOR IN THE SPECIAL SLALOM. SNOW FALLING THROUGHOUT THE RACE MADE CONDITIONS VERY DIFFICULT, AND TIMES WERE SLOWER THAN EXPECTED.

AFTER THE RACE, FRANCOIS BONLIEU, THE 27-YEAR-OLD FRENCH OLYMPIC SLALOM CHAMPION WAS PRESENTED WITH THE "GOLDEN EGG" TROPHY FOR HIS VICTORY IN THE COMBINED MEN'S EVENTS. HE WON BOTH THE SPECIAL SLALOM AND THE GIANT SLALOM.