Sports briefs for February 10, 2005

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2005 | 10:21 a.m.

World title caps Maier's comeback

Austria's Hermann Maier won the giant slalom at the skiing world championships today today at Bormio, Italy, to claim his first gold medal in a major event since almost losing a leg in a motorcycle accident four years ago.

Maier reined in American Daron Rahlves, who led by six-tenths of a second after the first run, to win in 2 minutes, 50.41 seconds. He was one-quarter of a second faster than countryman Benjamin Raich, while Rahlves was 0.68 seconds behind for the bronze.

Champion Bode Miller, who was seeking his third gold medal of the meet, didn't complete the first run.

The win gave Austria its second gold medal to tie the United States, Sweden and Croatia for the lead. Raich has three of Austria's eight medals overall.

Maier, known as the "Herminator," didn't defend the giant slalom and super-giant slalom titles he won at the 1998 Olympic Games in Nagano, Japan, after the August 2001 accident sidelined him for four months. Maier injured both legs and suffered kidney failure in the crash in Radstadt, Austria. Doctors operated on him for eight hours and had to graft skin from his left arm to save his leg from amputation.

Kirilenko in semis

Maria Kirilenko of Russia beat top-seeded Li Na of China 6-4, 6-3 today in Hyderbad, India, to reach the Hyderabad Open semifinals for the second consecutive year.

Fenway proposal

The Boston Red Sox have filed a proposal with the city to renovate the .406 Club behind home plate at Fenway Park to add more seating and more room for standing patrons. The proposal would create two levels of club seating where one now exists. Seating capacity will expand from 606 to 816, while standing room will accommodate 200 more people.

Heatley will play

Just a few days after pleading guilty to second-degree vehicular homicide and two other counts and receiving three years' probation, Atlanta Thrashers all-star Dany Heatley has signed to play with Kazan in the Russian Super League where he will be reunited with Thrashers teammate Ilya Kovalchuk.

Pro Bowl subs

Philadelphia receiver Terrell Owens and New England defensive end Richard Seymour will sit out the Pro Bowl because of injuries. Owens was replaced on the NFC's roster by St. Louis receiver Torry Holt and Seymour by Jacksonville's John Henderson.

Belfry: $346 million

Northern Ireland businessman Sean Quinn today completed the purchase of the Belfry, one of England's elite golf clubs, for $346 million.