Austrian Skier Scores Another World Cup Victory

Austria's Alexandra Meissnitzer won her second World Cup super-G of the season today, beating Switzerland's Heidi Zurbriggen by 0.18 seconds in Veysonnaz, Switzerland, to top the overall standings.

Meissnitzer, 22, completed the Bear course in 1 minute, 28.72 seconds.

Austria's Michaela Dorfmeister was third in 1:29.17, followed by teammate Anita Wachter and Germany's Katja Seizinger and Katharina Gutensohn. American Picabo Street was seventh and teammate Shannon Nobis eighth.

France's Florence Masnada suffered a knee injury when she fell in the finishing area and was transported to a hospital by helicopter.

-- American Kris Feddersen stayed atop the men's World Cup freestyle standings by placing second in today's jumping event in Piancavallo, Italy.

Feddersen, who accumulated 230.29 points, finished behind winner Alexis Blanc of France, who had 231.27 points. Canada's Lloyd Langlois was third with 230.15 points.

Canadian Veronica Brenner dominated the women's jumping with 173.01 points. Nikki Stone of the United States edged another Canadian, Caroline Olivier, for second place.

FIGURE SKATING

Kurt Browning, a four-time world champion, was the first skater ever to complete a quadruple jump in world competition. He is happy just to hit his triples now.

"I never expected it to be so clean," the Canadian said after nailing a triple axel in the first night of skating in the Ultimate Four competition in Boston.

No Americans advanced to the finals, which will pit the top two finishers from the short program against each other for a $75,000 first prize.

France's Phillipe Candeloro advanced to the final, leaving Paul Wylie of Somerville, Mass., and Scott Hamilton of Denver to skate in the consolations.

Surya Bonaly of France and Chen Lu of China advanced on the women's side after Kristi Yamaguchi of San Francisco fell twice in her short program.

TENNIS

Nearly six months after storming off court at Wimbledon and calling the umpire "corrupt," Jeff Tarango gave up his defiant stand and apologized.

Yesterday's mea culpa - in which Tarango went from tennis rebel to repentant sinner - was enough to warrant a reduction in the penalties against him by the Grand Slam Committee.

The committee lowered Tarango's fines totalling $43,756 by $15,500 and relaxed his two-tournament Grand Slam suspension. While upholding his ban from Wimbledon in 1996, the committee dropped the other suspension on the condition he behaves over the next three years.

The decision means Tarango now is eligible to compete in next month's Australian Open, the opening Grand Slam event of 1996.

OLYMPICS

A U.S. Olympic Committee panel found no conflict of interest involving former USOC president William Hybl, clearing him to run next October for his old job.

The ethics oversight committee met in Chicago on Dec. 6 to review charges that two members of the nominating committee had links to a foundation headed by Hybl.

LOCAL NOTES

Seattle University's men's basketball team (1-10) will play host to Seattle Pacific (7-1) tomorrow at 7 p.m. in the first of two matchups this season. S.U. has lost six in a row. SPU's lone loss was to Western Washington, 56-52.

-- After a 10-day break for exams, Washington State's men's basketball team (5-1) will resume play in California against Big West Conference teams. The Cougars will play at San Jose State Dec. 27, then two nights later at UC-Irvine.

-- Donald R. James, former general manager of the Fairwood Golf and Country Club, has been appointed co-director of the Olympic Couples Golf Classic, joining John Thompson, former general manager of the Seattle Seahawks. Don James, former Washington football coach, and his wife, Carol, will play host to the tournament at Rainier Golf and Country Club, an Aug. 16 event that will benefit the U.S. Olympic team competing in Atlanta next summer.