Holdener positive for virus at World Cup finals

Olympic slalom silver medalist Wendy Holdener tested positive for COVID-19 and will not race at the World Cup Finals meeting, the Swiss ski team said Friday.

Holdener was to start in the last slalom and giant slalom races this weekend on home snow in Lenzerheide.

Her positive result in rapid testing was confirmed by a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test taken late Thursday, the Swiss team said. 

Holdener holds the record of most podium finishes in a World Cup discipline without a victory, 27 in slalom, while racing against Mikaela Shiffrin and Petra Vlhova. They have 45 and 12 slalom wins, respectively.

Vlhova heads the season-long slalom standings going into Saturday’s race. Shiffrin and newly crowned world champion Katharina Liensberger can both overhaul the Slovakian leader. 

The Swiss team said one of its women’s team coaches, Austrian Klaus Mayrhofer, also tested positive for COVID-19.

The season-ending World Cup meeting is being held without fans due to restrictions on mass gatherings in Switzerland during the pandemic.