Wendy Holdener won the combined silver at the Worlds in Méribel. The Schwyzoise was only beaten by the Italian Federica Brignone. The first round of the Worlds smiled on the Swiss team since Wendy Holdener went to look for metal. Not the hoped for gold, but silver at 1”62 from Federica Brignone.
Fifteenth following the super-G, the double world champion in the discipline (2017 and 2019) achieved the best slalom run. Insufficient to return to the Aosta Valley, but enough to pass in front of the Austrian Ricarda Haaser. She pocketed her 4th medal at the World Championships.
Big disappointment on the other hand for Michelle Gisin. The double Olympic champion lost 2 seconds in slalom on Brignone! She finished in 6th place at 3”43.
Titled at 33, Brignone fully deserves this gold medal. Winner of 5 combined World Cups, including 4 in Crans-Montana, the Transalpine had so far only won Olympic bronze in this discipline. She adds a second world medal to her collection, following the silver obtained in giant in 2011 in Garmisch.
Shiffrin makes a mistake
Sixth in the opening round at 0”96, Mikaela Shiffrin was on her way to the gold. But the defending champion, carried away by her passion, came out a few doors from the finish. Has the woman with 85 World Cup successes been overtaken by the demons of Beijing? Because we remember that during the last Olympics, the American was completely missed.
Note that several women used the speed run as training, since the FIS authorizes it. Thus Lara Gut-Behrami was able, for example, to test herself by taking 2nd place in the super-G, 0”71 from Brignone.
Read also: “Second to start, it’s magnificent”, rejoices Wendy Holdener
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