The Styrian won the Super-G on Friday in 1:13.17 minutes ahead of Norway’s Kajsa Vickhoff Lie (+0.09 seconds) and Lara Gut-Behrami from Switzerland (0.21) and celebrated her fifth World Cup victory. The 31-year-old ended a seven-year dry spell for the ÖSV women on home snow. It was also the first World Cup victory for an Austrian woman this season.
In general, the hosts had a great home game. Ariane Rädler finished sixth with start number 23 (+0.49). Immediately behind them were teammates Mirjam Puchner (0.56) and Stephanie Venier (0.57). Nadine Fest, on the other hand, fell heavily when she left the line and drove into a goal. The Carinthian woman stayed lying down for a longer period of time and was obviously in pain. She got up once more a short time later, but was transported away by helicopter and taken to the hospital in Schwarzach with a suspected shoulder injury.
“Skied really casually”
Previously, Hütter had managed a consistently strong ride in front of 3,500 spectators – the line, pace and willingness to take risks were all right. She got the crucial hundredths with a brilliant finish. “I noticed that my ski was riding really casually. I then looked for acceleration between the gates,” explained the ÖSV ace in the ORF interview. “At the bottom I was able to hold the line and pick up the pace. I think it was a pretty good level.”
The co-favorites Vickhoff Lie, Gut-Behrami and Federica Brignone – the Italian came fourth – bit their teeth on their time. Hütter celebrated her fourth World Cup victory in the Super-G.
The Austrian took advantage of the brilliant external conditions to have a free ride on the slopes and in her head. “Today it definitely worked, then I can keep the momentum relatively short and drive a little tighter. Then it’s actually not an overcoming for me at all, because I know I can do that. But it’s often difficult to implement. In the brain “There are often voices that don’t allow this,” Hütter explained her inner life. “I just think it’s cool that I showed it today and that the upward trend, the basic speed and the approach fit.”
Zauchensee as good soil
Rädler, who was already strong in training, can be similarly satisfied. However, the Vorarlberg native admitted at the finish that she had “perhaps hoped for a little more”. In any case, Zauchensee is good ground for them; two years ago Rädler finished third here in the Super-G. “I really like the route here, the curves suit me.”
Puchner also had a positive assessment of her home race. “I’ve tried to drive in a brutal position, to make sure that I’m pushing myself to the limit. Of course, I’ll make mistakes, but it’s better that way and with mistakes than if I just go down nicely,” said the woman from Pongau.
However, one mistake proved fatal. “Of course that dampens the mood. But you can just see how merciless the sport is. We’re all pushing ourselves to the limit, the line between sunshine and shade is just so narrow. Everyone’s taking risks. If you’re going at 100 km/h, then that’s it “The detonation is extremely hard. I hope that Nadine is doing reasonably well,” said Hütter. St. Moritz winner Sofia Goggia from Italy also slipped and was eliminated, but was uninjured.
On Saturday there is another downhill (10.45) on the program in Zauchensee in the absence of overall World Cup leader Mikaela Shiffrin, and another Super-G (11.00) on Sunday.
