The record winner won one of the highlight races of the season in Salzburg by 0.27 seconds ahead of her long-term Slovakian rival Petra Vlhova. The American thus extended her lead in the overall and slalom World Cup. Katharina Liensberger was the best Austrian in seventh place in one of her favorite races in front of 12,800 spectators.
Hundredth thriller between Shiffrin and Vlhova
The floodlight spectacle on the Hermann Maier World Cup course brought the expected duel between the two best slalom runners of the moment. The floodlight spectacle on the Hermann Maier World Cup course brought the expected duel between the two best slalom runners of the moment. Vlhova led Shiffrin by seven hundredths of a second following the first run, but did not get a faultless second run. Shiffrin, on the other hand, attacked fully on the course set by her coach Magnus Andersson following a small mishap in the upper part and secured the winner’s check worth 71,400 Swiss francs (76,350 euros).
After 2013, 2014, 2018 and 2021, Shiffrin can call herself “Snow Space Salzburg Princess” once more. Since Frida Hansdotter in 2017, only the US star or Vlhova have won in Flachau. All seven slaloms of the season so far have gone to one of the two exceptional runners. Shiffrin made it 4-3 wins in the season duel before Vlhova’s home game on Sunday in Jasna. She also set another record set by legend Ingemar Stenmark with her 81st podium finish in a World Cup slalom.
“It’s really emotional at the moment”
Shiffrin’s preparation for Flachau was turbulent. The 28-year-old traveled to the hospital in Bern on Saturday to see her friend Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, who was injured in the Wengen downhill run, and only returned to Austria on Sunday evening. She skipped the speed races at the weekend in Zauchensee due to a minor illness. “It’s really emotional at the moment,” said Shiffrin in the winner’s interview on ORF. “Actually, I just want to call Alex now. He has to go to sleep soon.”
Liensberger started a bit cautiously in the first run, but finished in fifth place, 1.05 seconds behind. In the final, the Vorarlberg woman was no longer able to improve. “I mightn’t get going anymore. I wanted to attack, but then I lost my train,” said the 26-year-old. Flachau is a special place for them. Liensberger made her World Cup debut there in 2016 and took her first podium place in 2019 when she came third. In 2021, the year of her world title, she was also second.
Image: (APA/BARBARA GINDL)
Sara Hector on the podium for the first time
The Swede Sara Hector landed on the podium for the first time in the slalom in third place. The second best Austrian was Katharina Troupe in 14th place. A mistake in the second run cost the Carinthian, who was third in Courchevel like Liensberger in Levi this season on the slalom podium, a significant improvement from 14th place. Marie-Therese Sporer followed in 18th place. The Tyrolean, who was fighting for her squad status in the ÖSV, scored World Cup points for the second time in the seventh race of the season – and was correspondingly relieved followingwards. Compatriot Franziska Gritsch missed the decision in 44th place, as did Lisa Hörhager (35th).
Katharina Gallhuber and Katharina Huber, who competed with higher expectations, were eliminated following driving errors in the first run. Huber missed a goal because he was off balance. “I would be lying if I said it didn’t hurt. It does hurt,” said the Lower Austrian. “There is a lot of trouble there,” admitted compatriot Gallhuber, who was threading in the middle section. “The fact that this is happening at the home race in this setting is extremely bitter. I have to put this aside quickly because the next chance is on Sunday.”
