Featured Image: Mikaela Shiffrin Credit: GEPA
With a high-tempo, dynamic first run, the opening World Cup slalom kicked off in Levi, Finland. During the night, warmer and rainy weather swept through Levi, creating spring-like conditions for the athletes. The athletes had to keep their tempo high and stay dynamic through the tougher conditions.
Mikaela Shiffrin ignited out of the start gate and immediately tuned into the rhythm. She displayed unwavering strength and high confidence through each turn and pushed hard from top to bottom.
Before the inaugural slalom she stated, “When I keep my mindset focused on skiing well, on implementing the tools, tactics, and fundamentals that I’ve been working on in training—that’s when my competition is at its highest level.”
The eight-time slalom globe winner showed full-throttle and focused skiing. She kept her foot on the gas all the way through the finish line, dominating with a stellar lead, -0.60 ahead of the competition. This will be a challenging benchmark to beat if she keeps up the momentum in the second run.
If Shiffrin nails her second run and wins, it’ll mark her 8th reindeer in Levi. That would set a new record for the most wins on this course and bring her career total to 98 victories.
After the first run, Shiffrin states, “It felt really good. I would say solid technique and good energy. I was pushing, and even with a little bit of first slalom nerves, it still went well, and I handled that, so I’m satisfied with the first. But the second we have to clear the slate and start like a new race.”
Other Top Athletes Coming into Second Run
Zrinka Ljutic kicked off the day wearing bib-1 and threw down an error-free run, setting the time to beat 53.12.
She held the lead through five athletes until the German, Lena Dürr, skied through the finish -0.13 ahead of Ljutic.
Dürr has shown consistency in Levi, finishing second and third last season on the track. This is part of a record of four podium places and two fourth-place finishes in her past six races.
The 33-year-old heads into the second run closest to Shiffrin’s leading time.
The fourth fastest racer coming into the second run is Austrian Katharina Liensberger, +0.83 off the lead. The 2021 slalom world champ is just a tenth away from a podium finish, so if she nails a solid second run, she could snag her fourth podium at the Levi track.
Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Paula Moltzan rounds out the top-5 athletes heading into the second run. Moltzan pushed out of the start gate, ready to give it her all. She was screaming through the top gates, establishing a lead in front of Shiffrin coming onto the pitch.
However, she lost a little speed on the pitch but held onto a strong rhythm onto the lower flats. The speed she carried through the lower section put her in a strong position heading into the second run.
Last season, Moltzan was on the podium once in slalom, earning 3rd place at the Soldeu, Andorra World Cup. Additionally, she achieved two other top-5 finishes in slalom in Kranjska Gora and Courchevel. She will be turning up the heat on the second run to achieve another podium finish.
North Americans on the First Run
Alpine Canada Alpin Ali Nullmeyer was the third-top North American after the first run. She pushed hard out of the start gate and came fast onto the pitch. However, she slightly over skied the pitch, which lost her time coming into the course’s final section.
Nullmeyer enters the second race in a respectable position, +1.81 behind Shiffrin’s lead and +0.39 from a top-10 result. Last season, she had four top-10 finishes, two of which were in Levi, so she will be going for it on the second run for a chance at another on the track.
As the first run continued, the course began deteriorating and the conditions worsened. However, the later athletes continued to push for a qualifying spot into the second run.
The other Canadian athletes, Amelia Smart and Laurence St.Germain, squeezed into the top 30, qualifying for the second run. St.Germain concluded the first run +2.50 behind the lead, and Smart trailed slightly behind her +2.59 off the lead.
Unfortunately, the two returning athletes of the Stifel U.S. Ski Team, Katie Hensien and Nina O’Brien, went out on the same flush at the bottom of the pitch and will not start the second run.
Alpine Canada Alpin Kiki Alexander was putting down a solid first run. She was working well with the rut that developed through the course but ended up going out on the final flats of the course.
Kendahl Roufa, an independent U.S. athlete skiing for Apex2100, had her debut World Cup run on the Levi track. She skied well through the tough conditions but did not qualify for a second run.
The second run will start at 13:00 CET. Tune in to see if Shiffrin can name an eighth reindeer in Levi!
The Top 30 after the First Run
Analysis of the Top Three and Qualified North Americans
About the Author: Ellie Hartman
