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Unbeatable in Flachau: Petra Vlhova wins the slalom and her first race of the season.
Mathias Germannreporter sports
One, Petra Vlhova (27), seemed to have forgotten how to win. The other, Mikaela Shiffrin (27), won race after race. So what should the Slovakian have done against the US high-flyer? The answer comes from Vlhova in Flachau’s witches’ cauldron with two almost perfect runs – she wins for the first time this winter after seven podium finishes and is crying with happiness. Shiffrin, on the other hand, has to wait for her 9th win of the season, she comes second and sticks with Lindsey Vonn (38) to 82 World Cup victories.
Shiffrin will be able to handle it – just like the fact that the highest victory check (60,000 francs) in the women’s world cup is slipping through her fingers. Apparently she was in poor health when she started. As the “Krone” reports, she had to throw up after the second run at the finish. But that shouldn’t be the reason why she skips the next World Cup station. Rather, Shiffrin allows himself a break after seven races within 15 days and waives the upcoming speed weekend in St. Anton (one Super-G and one downhill).
For Vlhova, however, it is the first slalom triumph since her Olympic gold fairy tale. In the autumn she had explained in Blick: “I thought about resigning. In the end, I achieved everything I dreamed of as a child.”
Is the Swiss World Cup quartet set?
Three weeks before the World Cup, the eternal duel Shiffrin against Vlhova is picking up speed again. Wendy Holdener (29) is also in good shape. On the course, which is peppered with waves and therefore extremely treacherous, she presses the gas pedal in the second run – fourth. Her season record: 7 slaloms, 7 times in the top 5 – including two wins. “Now I need a break,” she says.
In the wake of Holdeners, Aline Danioth (24) also creates an exploit. Thanks to the third-best time in the second round, she made up 15 places and finished 13th. “It feels really good,” she says. Danioth has thus fulfilled the World Championship selection guidelines (at least one top 7 or two top 15) as well as Elena Stoffel (26), who is 15th. Camille Rast (23) had already met the World Championship requirements, her 19th place in Flachau is disappointing. Michelle Gisin (29), on the other hand, is in 14th place and has to hope for the last slalom in Spindlermühle (Tsch).
Attention ski fans! Now quiz and type races
The 2022/2023 ski season is coming up and with it the “Blick Ski Trophy”: answer questions every day, type ski races and crown yourself as ski champion. Lots of great prizes await.
To take part in the “Blick Ski Trophy”, you have to register here.
Have fun and good luck!
The 2022/2023 ski season is coming up and with it the “Blick Ski Trophy”: answer questions every day, type ski races and crown yourself as ski champion. Lots of great prizes await.
To take part in the “Blick Ski Trophy”, you have to register here.
Have fun and good luck!