Vlhova wins slalom – ÖSV runners disappoint again

Austria’s slalom trio could not avoid a decal of the weak season in changeable conditions. Only Katharina Truppe saw the finish and finished tenth (+2.73).

Franziska Gritsch, the 13th best ÖSV woman after the first round, shot out of the decision after three goals. For the halftime 17. Katharina Liensberger was also over the second run after a few seconds after a blackout or driving error. Gritsch and Liensberger will contest one last race on Sunday (9.00/12.00/live ORF 1) with the giant slalom, for Troppe the World Cup season is over. The giant slalom fourth at the 2022 Olympics missed qualifying for the final.

The Austrians are heading for the weakest podium yield since the 2017/18 season. As then, the team holds nine podiums with two wins. ÖSV women have only missed a two-digit number of podiums three times in the past 30 years (1995, 2017, 2018). In the technical disciplines giant slalom and slalom, this year’s record is devastating with only a third place (troop in the Killington slalom).

“We were a very strong slalom team last year. It’s bitter to be the only one in the result now,” said Truppe on ORF TV. About her own situation, the Carinthian said: “It’s not fish and not meat. I just can’t do it any better at the moment, especially on a slope like this where you need so much self-confidence. There are at least a few points that I’ll take with me. ” Alpinchef Herbert Mandl said: “The technique was just the worm in there from the beginning. A lot of distrust, no self-confidence and it didn’t catch any.”

Shiffrin, who made a few mistakes this time, was then presented with her seventh slalom ball. Popovic was on the podium for the first time in her 68th World Cup race. Vlhova was already leading at half-time and only won the race against Popovic on the final slope. After Flachau (slalom) she won a second time this season.

In the previous five seasons, Vlhova had always celebrated at least five victories. With nine podium places, her season was far from miserable this time, but not as the 27-year-old overall World Cup winner of 2020/21 would have liked. Her big competitor Shiffrin was too powerful, too flawed Vlhova herself.