Petra Vlhova clinched her second win of the season at the ski final. At the end of a season that was below average for her, the Slovakian prevailed in the Soldeu World Cup slalom ahead of podium debutant Leona Popovic from Croatia (+0.43 seconds) and US dominator Mikaela Shiffrin (+0.86).
Austria’s slalom trio could not avoid a decal of the weak season in changeable conditions. Only Katharina Truppe saw the goal and was tenth (+2.73). Franziska Gritsch, 13th after the first round, was the best ÖSV woman, 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. On Sunday (9.00 a.m./12.00 p.m./live ORF 1) Gritsch and Liensberger will contest one last race 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. ÖSV record devastating 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 (team 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. The Carinthian said of her own situation: “It’s not fish and it’s not meat. I just can’t do any better at the moment, especially on a slope like this where you need so much confidence. There are at least a few points that I’ll take away with me.” Alpine boss Herbert Mandl said: “The technique was just perfect right from the start. A lot of distrust, no self-confidence and none has been caught.” Slalom ball for ShiffrinShiffrin, who made a few mistakes this time, was then presented with what is now 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.
