Skier Ester Ledecká finished tied for fourth in the World Cup super-giant slalom in Kvitfjell, Norway, recording her best result since returning from a collarbone injury. The Olympic champion in this discipline from PyeongChang 2018 ran an identical time with Germany’s Kira Weidle, 16 hundredths of a second separated her from the podium. The winner was the Swiss Lara Gutová-Behramiová, to whom Ledecká lost 29 hundredths.
Kvitfjell (Norway
12:52 2. 3. 2024 (Updated: 12:59 2/3/2024)
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Ester Ledecká | Source: Profimedia
The 28-year-old Ledecká achieved the best result of the season, surpassing eighth place in the super-giant slalom in Crans Montana. She was also on the podium for the last time in this Swiss resort. In February 2022, she finished second in the congress there.
“I’m very happy with the ride, it was good. I’m glad that the loss to first place is getting smaller and smaller and I’m still moving forward,” said a satisfied Ledecká to Radiožurnálu Sport.
The super-giant slalom in Kvitfjell was run instead of the originally planned downhill. The pre-race trainings, which are necessary to pass the discipline, were not run in the past days due to poor visibility.
The three-time Olympic champion Ledecká took to the track with starting number 3. She was particularly successful in the second half of the track and reached the finish line in the fastest time of 1:33.81 up to that time. She was one second and 54 hundredths ahead of the second French Laura Gauche.
Ledecka’s successful performance was later also evidenced by the times of the rivals. Even the Italian Federica Brignone, who lost two hundredths of a second, did not unseat the Czech representative. The first competitor to beat Ledecká was the later winner, Gutová-Behramiová. In the end, Austrians Cornelia Hütterová and third Mirjam Puchnerová got ahead of the native from Prague. The German Weidleová with starting number 20 later equaled Ledecká in fourth place.
Gutová-Behramiová, the leading woman in the overall standings of the WC and the discipline, claimed her eighth victory of the season and 45th overall in the World Cup. She beat the second Hütterová by 12 hundredths of a second.
The second super giant slalom in Kvitfjell is scheduled for Sunday.
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