Featured Image: Zrinka Ljutić in the finish at the Levi World Cup. Credit: GEPA
In the latest episode of the Skiing is Believing Podcast, Matt and Alan spoke with last season’s FIS Rising Star, tech specialist Zrinka Ljutić.
Croatian skier Zrinka Ljutić initiated the discussion by reflecting on the outcomes of the first two races of the season. She secured a top-20 finish in the giant slalom in Sölden and placed 6th in the slalom in Levi. She is satisfied with the start of the season.
She also mentioned that the summer transition from Rossignol to Atomic proceeded smoothly, and the setup is prepared for the remainder of the season.
Zrinka shared her upbringing with her sports-enthusiast parents and three competitive siblings. She reminisced about spending winters in Innerkrems, Austria, where her father worked as a ski coach.
Alan inquired about the popularity of ski racing in Croatia. Zrinka confirmed that it is not a widely recognized or highly viewed sport. However, the recent successes of her Croatian teammates, including Filip Zubčić and Leona Popović, as well as her own achievements, have garnered increased attention. Zrinka explained that during the time of the Kostelić siblings’ racing careers, the sport attracted significantly more viewers due to their consistent victories.
Additionally, she discussed the upcoming races, including a new event added to the women’s calendar this weekend in Gurgl, Austria. Zrinka is eager to see how she performs at the World Cup before competing in two events in North America: Killington and Mont Tremblant.
We are now into the season, so Matt and Alan will provide two weekly podcasts. One podcast will review the World Cup races, while the other will feature an interview with one of the top professionals in ski racing. You can find all the Skiing is Believing podcast’s content on their Instagram and YouTube @skiingisbelievingpodcast or you can contact them via email at mattgarcka.skiingisbelieving@gmail.com.
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