Sara Hector / Kronplatz / Featured Image / GEPA pictures
Hector Sets the First-Run Standard as Kronplatz Delivers a Wide-Open GS Fight
Under perfect blue skies and on firm, aggressive snow on the Erta, the women’s World Cup giant slalom in Kronplatz delivered exactly what this Olympic season keeps producing—speed, risk, and separation at the top.
Sweden’s Sara Hector (HEAD) laid down the benchmark with a powerful, nearly mistake-free first run, stopping the clock in 1:13.54 and asserting control through the steep pitch and the demanding lower arena. Her run combined raw speed with vision, immediately forcing the field into attack mode.
With three different winners already this season, the first run set up a compelling second-run showdown between proven champions, recent winners, and athletes fighting for Olympic discretionary attention.
Top Five — First Run (Season Heavyweights)
- Sara Hector 🇸🇪 (SWE) — Bib 4 — 1:13.54 — HEAD
- Camille Rast 🇨🇭 (SUI) — Bib 6 — +0.15 — HEAD
- Julia Scheib 🇦🇹 (AUT) — Bib 2 — +0.39
- Mikaela Shiffrin 🇺🇸 (USA) — Bib 8 — +0.89 — Atomic, Oakley
- Thea Louise Stjernesund 🇳🇴 (NOR) — Bib 3 — +0.97
Hector built her advantage through clean pressure above the fall-away and carried speed where others bled time. Rast, the most recent GS winner in Kranjska Gora, attacked the same sections aggressively and threatened the lead late but came up just short.
Season leader Julia Scheib once again showed why she sits atop the standings, skiing with confidence and power to remain firmly in the podium fight.
Brignone’s Return Ignites Kronplatz
Bib 13 brought the loudest cheers of the day.
Italy’s Federica Brignone, racing her first World Cup giant slalom since suffering an injury at Italian National Championships after last season concluded, delivered far more than a symbolic return. The reigning World Cup GS discipline champion skied with commitment and confidence, slotting into seventh (+1.18) and keeping her Olympic dream very much alive in front of a roaring home crowd.
Regardless of how the second run unfolds, her return alone stood as one of the defining moments of the day.
🇺🇸 Mikaela Shffrin — First Run Reaction
Mikaela Shiffrin led the Stifel U.S. Ski Team into the second run, delivering a skillful and assertive first run that kept her firmly inside the top group.
“It’s such a turny course, but the conditions are amazing,” Shiffrin said. “It was really fun to ski, just very tiring by the bottom with how long and heavy the turning is. I had a lot of fun out there.”
Racing in Kronplatz for the first time in two seasons added extra significance.
“It’s really nice to be back here after two years,” Shiffrin said. “I missed it with injuries, so it’s pretty special to be skiing this hill again.”
Shiffrin also pointed to how the light may influence the second run.
“The shadows play a little bit of a factor,” she said. “It’s something to keep in mind, especially as it gets darker toward the bottom. You just have to keep pushing and feeling good on the skis.”
She said her equipment setup responded well on the demanding surface.
“My setup actually felt really good,” Shiffrin said. “I was really happy with how it responded.”
Shiffrin also acknowledged the significance of Brignone’s return.
“It’s amazing to see her back here,” Shiffrin said. “She skis so strongly and so balanced. It’s a pleasure to watch. The recovery she’s making is really special, and it’s not finished yet.”
Stifel U.S. Ski Team — First-Run Qualifiers
- Mikaela Shiffrin 🇺🇸 — Bib 8 — 4th (+0.89) — Atomic, Oakley
- Paula Moltzan 🇺🇸 — Bib 5 — 8th (+1.47)
- Nina O’Brien 🇺🇸 — Bib 14 — 11th (+2.10)
- Elisabeth Bocock 🇺🇸 — Bib 30 — 17th (+2.68)
- A.J. Hurt 🇺🇸 — Bib 20 — 25th (+3.35) — HEAD
Shiffrin showed clear progress, skiing aggressively and cleanly into fourth, though still just shy of her pre-injury GS dominance. Moltzan and O’Brien remained solidly inside the top 15, while Bocock once again confirmed her upward trajectory by qualifying cleanly.
Hurt stabilized inside the top 30, positioning herself for a strong second-run start window.
Canadian Women — First-Run Qualifiers
- Valérie Grenier 🇨🇦 — Bib 10 — 9th (+1.76)
- Britt Richardson 🇨🇦 — Bib 17 — 14th (+2.33)
Grenier struggled to find her usual clean skiing and rhythm but remained well inside qualification. Richardson delivered a composed, efficient run that easily secured a second-run start and placed her among the fastest 15 of the morning.
High-Bib Impact — Bib 31+
Seven athletes starting bib 31 or higher punched tickets to the second run, underlining both the depth of the field and the pressure of Olympic selection season.
- Vanessa Kasper 🇨🇭 (SUI) — Bib 31 — 18th (+2.70)
- Franziska Gritsch 🇦🇹 (AUT) — Bib 34 — 21st (+2.77)
- Alice Pazzaglia 🇮🇹 (ITA) — Bib 38 — 24th (+3.13)
- Sue Piller 🇨🇭 (SUI) — Bib 33 — 27th (+3.54)
- Fabiana Dorigo 🇩🇪 (GER) — Bib 35 — 28th (+3.56)
- Dania Allenbach 🇨🇭 (SUI) — Bib 48 — 29th (+3.57)
- Hilma Lövblom 🇸🇪 (SWE) — Bib 32 — 30th (+3.67)
This group included the highest bib to qualify (48) and confirmed how unforgiving the Erta remains—even minor hesitation costs positions.
Notable Misses
- Zrinka Ljutić 🇭🇷 — Bib 7 — 27th (+4.41) — outside the top 30
- Sofia Goggia 🇮🇹 — DNF
Ljutić’s continued struggles marked one of the day’s most surprising developments, while Goggia exited early on a demanding course that rewarded precision over brute force.
What’s at Stake in Run Two
With Hector, Rast, and Scheib separated by just 0.39 seconds, the second run sets up a wide-open fight for victory. Shiffrin sits within striking distance, Brignone’s return continues to fuel the Italian crowd, and Olympic discretion remains very much in play across the field.
First Run top thirty results
Click images to enlarge
Run Analysis of the Leaders and North American Qualifiers
About the Author: Peter Lange
