Wendy Holdener: GEPA pictures
Elite Performances Shine in Kranjska Gora’s First Run
Despite the absence of Petra Vlhová, Mikaela Shiffrin, and reigning World Champion Laurence St-Germain due to injuries, Sunday’s World Cup slalom offered no shortage of thrilling action. As is customary in technical events, the elite first seven showcased their skill with commanding performances. By the end of their runs, Croatian standout Zrinka Ljutic and Swiss veteran Wendy Holdener were tied atop the leaderboard. Impressively, the fastest five skiers in this group were separated by a mere 0.78 seconds.
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Dürr’s Early Exit Surprises Fans
Germany’s Lena Dürr, known for her reliability, provided the morning’s biggest shock. She failed to make it past the first timing sector and will not compete in the second run, a rare occurrence for the seasoned athlete.
Second Group: Consistency Meets Drama
The second group, featuring racers with bib numbers 8-15, demonstrated that brilliance extends beyond the elite seeds. Among them was Stifel U.S. Ski Team’s Paula Moltzan, who struggled to find her best turns and finished 1.58 seconds off the leaders, placing her outside podium contention.
Switzerland’s Melanie Meillard, wearing bib 10, delivered the standout run of this group, tying for sixth place with Sweden’s Sara Hector, Saturday’s GS winner. Meillard’s performance reinforced Switzerland’s strong presence, with three racers among the fastest six heading into the afternoon finale. Holdener is tied for the lead, Camille Rast, the tour’s top slalom skier, sits in third, and Meillard holds a share of sixth. With seven skiers separated by just 0.78 seconds, the second run promises intense competition and a dramatic finish.
Aicher’s Breakthrough Performance
Another impressive effort came from Germany’s rising star, 21-year-old Emma Aicher. Wearing bib 18, Aicher delivered her best performance, securing the fifth-fastest time of the morning, just 0.66 seconds behind the leaders. Her run sets the stage for an exciting finale and reinforces her potential as one of the sport’s emerging talents.
Hurt Leads North Americans, Smart Exits Early
Stifel U.S. Ski Team’s AJ Hurt, who earned her first World Cup podium at this venue last year, delivered the fastest first run among the North Americans. Hurt is ranked 11th, just 1.28 seconds behind the leaders, positioning herself for a competitive second run. Meanwhile, Canada’s highest-ranked racer in today’s field, Amelia Smart, was one of only two skiers in the top 30 not to finish. Although Canada has two higher-ranked athletes sidelined with injuries, Smart carried the nation’s hopes but skied out in the final timing sector despite a promising start.
Stifel U.S. Ski Team’s Katie Hensien qualified for the second run of a slalom for the first time this season, finishing 26th in the morning session. With an early start position in the second run, Hensien has a promising opportunity to climb the leaderboard and improve her result.
Late Starters Seize Opportunities in Favorable Conditions
With great conditions and two top-30 starters failing to finish, opportunities opened for later racers to qualify for the afternoon finale. Six women with bibs higher than 30 took advantage, delivering standout performances. The fastest among them was Switzerland’s Janine Maechler, ranked 17th overall, who impressed with a strong run wearing bib 40. Notably, her teammate Eliane Christen, skiing with bib 46, was the highest bib to qualify, finishing the morning in 23rd place. Christen’s performance underscored the resilience of late starters and added another highlight to Switzerland’s strong showing.
Also notable, Switzerland has an impressive seven women qualified for the second run, showcasing their depth and consistency. In contrast, the typically strong Canadian team, currently hampered by injuries, failed to advance any racers to the afternoon finale.
First Run: Top 30 Results
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Fastest Three and North Americans: First Run Analysis
About the Author: Peter Lange
