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Meillard Leads as a Fierce Fight Unfolds in Kranjska Gora
KRANJSKA GORA, Slovenia — Under a perfect sky and on a meticulously prepared slope, the world’s best slalom skiers attacked the first run of Sunday’s World Cup slalom in Kranjska Gora with fearless intensity. Switzerland’s Loic Meillard holds the top spot for now, but with a tightly packed field, the second run promises an all-out battle for victory.
Meillard, the newly crowned slalom World Champion, carved an aggressive, efficient run, setting the standard with a time of 47.77 seconds. Norway’s Timon Haugan, however, refused to let him pull away. With a dynamic and fast final sector, he crossed the line just 0.05 seconds behind, setting up a fierce duel for the win.
But the biggest shake-up came from Switzerland’s Tanguy Nef, skiing with controlled aggression. Wearing bib 9, he defied expectations and delivered the third fastest first run, finishing 0.21 seconds off the lead. The former Dartmouth College skier and First Team All-American executed a near-perfect line through the technical middle section, pushing Atle Lie McGrath, the World Championship silver medalist, to fourth, just 0.26 seconds back.
A Battle on a Knife’s Edge
The competition stays intense with razor-thin margins. Clément Noël of France charged to the fifth-fastest time, finishing 0.40 seconds back. Manuel Feller of Austria and Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway matched each other’s pace, clocking 0.62 seconds behind Meillard. Albert Popov of Bulgaria powered into eighth place with a strong, determined run. With just 0.88 seconds separating the top eight, the podium fight promises relentless action.
The gaps are microscopic. The pressure is enormous. Every move in the second run will be crucial—one perfect push, one fearless adjustment at the edge of control, could flip the leaderboard upside down.
The top of the standings settled, but with more racers yet to compete and a high-stakes second run ahead, the fight for victory remains wide open.
The race is far from over—and the battle is about to get even more intense.
Late Starters Seize Opportunity in Kranjska Gora
KRANJSKA GORA, Slovenia — With six racers from the first 30 failing to finish their first runs, the door was wide open for later starters to break through and secure a spot in the afternoon finale. On a course that rewarded clean, aggressive skiing, several athletes took full advantage of the opportunity.
The first to make a statement was Ramon Zenhäusern, the towering Swiss skier and former Kranjska Gora winner, who has struggled to find form this season. But on Sunday morning, he rediscovered his rhythm, delivering a solid run to post the 13th fastest time.
He wasn’t the only veteran to rise to the occasion. Italy’s Stefano Gross, wearing bib 34, turned back the clock with a strong, composed run, finishing one place ahead of Zenhäusern in 12th. Six skiers from outside the first 30 broke into the second run, proving that focused execution was the key to success.
Gross was the fastest of those later qualifiers, while Belgium’s Sam Maes, who charged through with bib 44 as part of Global Racing, took the last spot in the top 30.
North American Hopes Dashed
While several underdogs capitalized on the opportunity, none of the five North American men managed to qualify for a second run. Four of them failed to finish, and while Canadian World Cup rookie Jesse Kertesz-Knight made it to the bottom, he was well off the pace needed to advance.
With a second run still ahead, the competition remains fierce—but for those who stepped up when it mattered, the afternoon brings another chance to make their mark.
First Run Results: Top 30 Finishers
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Analysis of the Fastest Four
About the Author: Peter Lange
