Julia Scheib / Kronplatz / GEPA pictures
Scheib wins Kronplatz giant slalom with fastest second run
Julia Scheib delivered another commanding performance Tuesday at Kronplatz, posting the fastest time in the second run to claim her fourth giant slalom victory of the season on the demanding Erta slope. Camille Rast finished second, with Sara Hector in third, as Scheib extended her lead in the World Cup discipline standings.
Scheib attacked from the start gate, managed the changing light through the second run, and stayed aggressive on the shaded final pitch where the race was repeatedly decided. Her execution left no opening for the field to challenge.
Kronplatz Women’s Giant Slalom — Top Finishers
- 1st — 🇦🇹 Julia Scheib (AUT) — YOB 1998 — 2:19.85
- 2nd — 🇨🇭 Camille Rast (SUI) — YOB 1999 — +0.37 — HEAD
- 3rd — 🇸🇪 Sara Hector (SWE) — YOB 1992 — +0.46 — HEAD
- 4th — 🇺🇸 Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) — YOB 1995 — +0.86 — Atomic, Oakley
- 5th — 🇵🇱 Maryna Gąsienica-Daniel (POL) — YOB 1994 — +1.01 — Atomic
- 6th — 🇮🇹 Federica Brignone (ITA) — YOB 1990 — +1.23
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Scheib on another dominant Kronplatz performance
Julia Scheib said she never imagined the season she is delivering, even as she continued her perfect record on the Erta slope.
“No, never,” Scheib said when asked if she dreamed of winning four giant slaloms in one season. “This place is really magical for me. Everything started here, and I also had some tough years here. Today I just tried to give everything, and it worked.”
She said the second run was the key after a more demanding opening run.
“The first run wasn’t easy for me, especially the last section,” Scheib said. “But in the second run everything worked really well, and I’m really happy.”
Scheib described the victory as a form of closure on a slope that has shaped her career.
“It feels really good,” she said. “Getting this result here means a lot.”
Rast and Hector reflect on Kronplatz podium
Camille Rast acknowledged the challenge of the Erta’s changing light and the cost of small mistakes late in the run.
“It was not so easy,” Rast said. “When you come down here it’s really dark, you feel more than you see. I lost a bit too much time on the last part, but it was still a good race and two interesting runs.”
Rast emphasized progress despite missing back-to-back wins.
“There are things I can do better, but I take the positives,” she said.
Sara Hector, whose coaches set the second run, said execution — not opportunity — ultimately decided the race.
“You can’t decide if you win or not, you can only do your best,” Hector said. “Today I didn’t really attack it or go on the tiger line, and that’s the difference.”
Still, the Swedish star left Kronplatz encouraged.
“I’m very happy — third is very good,” Hector said. “Now it’s about taking new energy into the next races.”
Women’s World Cup Giant Slalom — Season Standings (Top Five, after Kronplatz)
- 🇦🇹 Julia Scheib (AUT) — YOB 1998 — 560 pts — Leader — Rossignol
- 🇨🇭 Camille Rast (SUI) — YOB 1999 — 421 pts — –139 — HEAD
- 🇸🇪 Sara Hector (SWE) — YOB 1992 — 329 pts — –231 — HEAD
- 🇳🇿 Alice Robinson (NZL) — YOB 2001 — 312 pts — –248 — Salomon
- 🇺🇸 Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) — YOB 1995 — 293 pts — –267 — Atomic, Oakley
With three giant slaloms remaining before the Finals, Scheib now holds a clear advantage in the discipline race.
Second run volatility on the Erta
While much of the slope remained in direct sun, the steep final pitch dropped fully into shade for the second run, dramatically changing the rhythm of the course. The leader’s chair rotated constantly early, with nine lead changes recorded before the top contenders even entered the gate.
Canada briefly controlled the race mid-run, Austria surged back, and the pressure only intensified as the fastest skiers from the first run took their turns.
Shiffrin reflects on fourth palce and building toward the podium
Mikaela Shiffrin, who delivered the third fastest second run, acknowledged the mixed emotions of finishing fourth while continuing her return to top form in giant slalom.
“Fourth is interesting,” Shiffrin said. “From where I was last year, I would have dreamed of getting fourth, no problem. But now I want more, and I know I still have some work to do to earn that podium spot.”
She pointed to the level required to challenge consistently at the top.
“You have to go perfect — no mistakes, full intensity,” Shiffrin said. “When I ski with full intensity right now, I still have some mistakes. That just means more work.”
Shiffrin said the progress is there, even as confidence continues to rebuild.
“I think I’ve been building really well,” she said. “I’d love to feel a little less nervous or unsure sometimes, but that level will come. It’s just taking time.”
Watching the top performers reinforced the standard she’s chasing.
“When I watch Julia, Camille, Sara, and Federica today, you can see what’s possible in giant slalom skiing,” Shiffrin said. “I’m working as hard as I can to get there.”
Brignone delivers statement return on home snow
Federica Brignone’s sixth-place finish carried weight well beyond the result line. Racing her first World Cup giant slalom since returning from injury, the Italian star attacked the Erta with authority and briefly seized the lead during the second run, igniting the home crowd.
Brignone increased her advantage through the upper and middle sections, carrying speed cleanly into the shaded final pitch where the race repeatedly turned. Only late pressure from the final starters pushed her off the top spot, but the performance stood as one of the most impressive comebacks in history.
The result confirmed Brignone’s form and timing at a critical moment in the Olympic season, strengthening her case for Italy’s home Games and reestablishing her as a force in giant slalom when the pressure is highest.
Stifel U.S. Ski Team — Giant Slalom Results
- 4th — 🇺🇸 Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) — YOB 1995 — +0.86 — Atomic, Oakley
- 8th — 🇺🇸 Paula Moltzan (USA) — YOB 1994 — +1.51
- 12th — 🇺🇸 Elisabeth Bocock (USA) — YOB 2005 — +2.69
- DNF — 🇺🇸 Nina O’Brien (USA) — YOB 1997
- DNF — 🇺🇸 A.J. Hurt (USA) — YOB 2000
Shiffrin, fourth-fastest from the first run, increased her advantage through the top of the second run and crossed the line in the lead. However, the final three starters — Scheib, Rast, and Hector — all skied faster, pushing her to fourth. The result matched her strongest giant slalom finishes since returning from injury and reaffirmed her return to podium-level contention.
Moltzan skied aggressively from top to bottom and finished eighth after posting the 5th fastest second run of the day, continuing her strong season despite missing the podium.
Bocock delivered the fourth-fastest second run, gaining five positions to finish 12th. The result surpasses her career-best 14th-place finish in Kranjska Gora earlier this season and firmly puts her in the conversation for the Olympic team.
The second run underscored U.S. depth, as Mikaela Shiffrin, Elisabeth Bocock, and Paula Moltzan recorded the third-, fourth-, and fifth-fastest times on the Erta.
Comments from Stifel U.S. Ski Team skiers Moltzan and Bocock
Paula Moltzan finished eighth to record another top-10 giant slalom result and emphasized progress through consistency rather than perfection.
“I’m happy to find the finish line two more times in a row, which is nice,” Moltzan said. “I’m a little bummed with how I skied the first run, but in the end, another top 10 feels great for me and keeps building on my consistency.”
Moltzan also pointed to the overall pace within the U.S. team, even on a day that included multiple second-run DNFs.
“Obviously, we had some DNFs in the second run, but it just shows the speed and the tempo that our team has,” Moltzan said. “On any given day, you’re going to find one of us on the podium. It might shock everybody else, but it won’t shock us.”
Elisabeth Bocock, who posted the fourth-fastest second run to finish 12th, framed her result as a breakthrough in execution after a challenging start to the season.
“This year I’ve had a lot of DNFs, so just putting together two runs feels like success,” Bocock said. “I’m getting better at executing my plan — being smart and solid early, then pushing more in the second run. Today I did that, and I’m happy.”
Bocock also credited the Kronplatz surface for allowing that approach to work.
“The snow was amazing,” Bocock said. “When the surface is that good, the skiing feels more enjoyable. You’re actually having fun going down the course.”
Canada — Giant Slalom Results
- 9th — 🇨🇦 Valérie Grenier (CAN) — YOB 1996 — +1.60
- 11th — 🇨🇦 Britt Richardson (CAN) — YOB 2003 — +2.08
Grenier briefly seized the lead during the second run in her first race back from injury and finished inside the top 10, an encouraging sign as she rebuilds momentum in the Olympic season. Richardson followed with another composed run to finish just outside the top 10.
DNFs highlight the risk
The shaded final pitch punished hesitation. Three skiers failed to finish the second run, including two from the Stifel U.S. Ski Team, underscoring the commitment required to attack the Erta at full speed.
What it means
Scheib has now delivered four giant slalom victories this season and remains the only skier to consistently convert speed into wins under pressure. With momentum, confidence, and execution aligned, she exits Kronplatz firmly in control of the GS discipline race.
Race Results
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Second Run Analysis: Top Three and Other Top 30 North Americans
About the Author: Peter Lange
