31.   Hermann Maier led an Austrian domination of World Cup titles, becoming only the third skier in Alpine ski history to win four crowns in one season.

32.   His half brother, Noel Baxter, also is on the Alpine ski team while his cousin, Lesley McKenna, will compete as a snowboarder.

33.   In the end, weather proved the big headache as snow, rain and wind caused havoc with the Alpine ski races.

34.   Jamaica has its bobsled team, Grenada now has its one-woman Alpine ski team.

35.   Manuela Di Centa, the Italian queen of ski cross country, unexpectedly outdid Alpine ski king Alberto Tomba in the yearly poll for the best Italian winter athlete.

36.   Neither will most of the top Americans and Canadians when the World Cup alpine ski season opens this weekend on a glacier in Tignes, France.

37.   Nine people were killed when a train filled with Alpine ski vacationers derailed south of Cologne, Germany.

38.   On the Alpine ski slopes, Deborah Compagnoni set a mark that even more famous Italian compatriot Tomba cannot match.

39.   Record warm weather and a lack of snow forced cancelation Tuesday of three Alpine ski World Cup races scheduled in the United States this season.

40.   Snow shortage in most European venues is making havoc of World Cup schedule for Alpine ski, ski cross country and ski jumping.