Swede crowned Snow Space Princess for second time

By Published On: January 10th, 2017Comments Off on Swede crowned Snow Space Princess for second time

Frida Hansdotter has a record number of second-place finishes, 15 to be exact. But on Tuesday night under the lights in Flachau, Austria, the Swede took the fourth World Cup win of her career, wearing bib six. She finished with a combined time of 1:51.40.

Hansdotter was dominant, in part, thanks to her first run, where she led by 0.95 seconds ahead of Switzerland’s Wendy Holdener. The course, which was set by U.S. Ski Team coach Jeff Lackie, was particularly turny.

“I’m better when it’s a little bit straighter because I get more speed in, but I for sure saw it in inspection that you really need to work it every gate, so that was my only goal, so maybe that’s the secret,” the slalom star said after her first run.

FLACHAU, AUSTRIA - JANUARY 10: Nina Loeseth of Norway takes 2nd place, Frida Hansdotter of Sweden takes 1st place, Mikaela Shiffrin of USA takes 3rd place, Wendy Holdener of Switzerland takes 3rd place during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Women's Slalom on January 10, 2017 in Flachau, Austria (Photo by Christophe Pallot/Agence Zoom)

After skiing the first-run course set by her coach, Mikaela Shiffrin found herself in fifth position, 1.38 seconds off of the Swede’s pace. The American was able to regain some time with a ripping second run, coming down with a combined time of 1:52.18. She ended the day in third place, 0.78 seconds behind Hansdotter’s winning pace and tied with Holdener.

“It felt a lot better the second run,” Shiffrin said. “For sure, I was disappointed with my first run, but to be honest, I try to learn from it. I really, really enjoyed watching Frida ski today. It was incredible, and it looked like she had fun and I’m really happy for her.”

Hansdotter, who has been on the podium in the last six slalom races in Flachau, loves the night slalom ambiance.

“It’s the night atmosphere,” she shared. “I think night slalom is so fun, and the crowd, you can see it from the start. It’s so much fun for racing.”

It didn’t hurt that she was wearing her lucky number, one that has stuck with her since played soccer as a kid and the same number she was wearing when she won at the venue in 2015.

Between the Swede and the American was Norwegian tech skier Nina Loeseth, earning her sixth career World Cup podium and her first since she earned second place in the giant slalom at Killington earlier this season.

“I kind of thought, ‘It’s all or nothing. It’s kill or be killed here,’ because it was a pretty easy course, and I felt pretty strong,” said the Attacking Viking. “It was pretty intimidating, the strong girls that were starting behind me or before me in the second run, so that’s why I probably was super excited when I saw that green light.”

Holdener, who tied with Shiffrin for third place, has been a regular on the slalom podium this season, earning either second or third place in all, but one slalom when she DNFed.

It’s really exciting because a lot of girls can stand on the podium, and it makes it hard for us because you have to push and go to see the green light in the finish,” she said. 

The Swiss skier continued to say that she knows still has her best skiing to show fans and competitors and hopes to show it off in the coming weeks.

FLACHAU,AUSTRIA,10.JAN.17 - ALPINE SKIING - FIS World Cup, night event, slalom, ladies. Image shows Resi Stiegler (USA). Photo: GEPA pictures/ Christian Walgram

Aside from Shiffrin, Resi Stiegler was the only other American to qualify for a second run, ending the night in 15th place. Lila Lapanja and Megan McJames did not qualify for a second run while Keely Cashman, who made her World Cup debut, did not finish first run.

In the overall standings, Shiffrin has surpassed the 1,000 point threshold, currently boasting 1008 points. Switzerland’s Lara Gut, who did not finish the first run of the slalom, has 643 points and sits in second place. The American also continues to lead in the slalom standings with 560 points with Slovakian Veronika Velez Zuzulova 125 points behind her.


Top 10

1. Frida Hansdotter (SWE) – Rossignol / Rossignol / Rossignol
2. Nina Loeseth (NOR) – Rossignol / Rossignol / Rossignol
3. Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) – Atomic / Atomic / Atomic
3. Wendy Holdener (SUI) – Head / Head / Head
5. Veronika Velez Zuzulova (SVK) – Salomon / Salomon / Salomon
6. Katharina Truppe (AUT) – Fischer / Fischer / Fischer
7. Bernadette Schild (AUT) – Head / Head / Head
8. Christina Geiger (GER) – Rossignol / Rossignol / Rossignol
9. Emelie Wikstroem (SWE) – Voelkl / Marker / Dalbello
10. Sarka Strachova (CZE) – Fischer / Fischer / Fischer


Official Results

Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Run 1 Run 2 Total Time Diff. FIS Points WC Points
 1  6  505679 HANSDOTTER Frida 1985 SWE  56.91  54.49  1:51.40  0.00  100.00
 2  2  425771 LOESETH Nina 1989 NOR  57.99  53.99  1:51.98  +0.58  3.75  80.00
 3  7  6535237 SHIFFRIN Mikaela 1995 USA  58.29  53.89  1:52.18  +0.78  5.04  60.00
 3  3  516280 HOLDENER Wendy 1993 SUI  57.86  54.32  1:52.18  +0.78  5.04  60.00
 5  5  705287 VELEZ ZUZULOVA Veronika 1984 SVK  58.06  55.13  1:53.19  +1.79  11.57  45.00
 6  19  56315 TRUPPE Katharina 1996 AUT  58.54  54.88  1:53.42  +2.02  13.06  40.00
 7  10  56032 SCHILD Bernadette 1990 AUT  58.39  55.28  1:53.67  +2.27  14.67  36.00
 8  23  206279 GEIGER Christina 1990 GER  59.36  54.70  1:54.06  +2.66  17.19  32.00
 9  21  506341 WIKSTROEM Emelie 1992 SWE  59.04  55.09  1:54.13  +2.73  17.64  29.00
 10  4  155415 STRACHOVA Sarka 1985 CZE  58.84  55.33  1:54.17  +2.77  17.90  26.00
 11  20  565401 BUCIK Ana 1993 SLO  58.82  55.40  1:54.22  +2.82  18.23  24.00
 12  17  296354 COSTAZZA Chiara 1984 ITA  59.36  54.88  1:54.24  +2.84  18.36  22.00
 13  24  516528 MEILLARD Melanie 1998 SUI  59.16  55.25  1:54.41  +3.01  19.45  20.00
 14  14  206355 DUERR Lena 1991 GER  59.16  55.41  1:54.57  +3.17  20.49  18.00
 15  9  537772 STIEGLER Resi 1985 USA  59.70  55.08  1:54.78  +3.38  21.85  16.00
 16  27  296259 MOELGG Manuela 1983 ITA  59.73  55.11  1:54.84  +3.44  22.23  15.00
 17  12  516284 GISIN Michelle 1993 SUI  59.10  55.81  1:54.91  +3.51  22.69  14.00
 18  30  56143 GRUENWALD Julia 1991 AUT  59.82  55.21  1:55.03  +3.63  23.46  13.00
 19  33  56367 GALLHUBER Katharina 1997 AUT  59.51  55.53  1:55.04  +3.64  23.53  12.00
 20  31  206487 WIESLER Maren 1993 GER  1:00.10  55.05  1:55.15  +3.75  24.24  11.00
 21  26  515997 FEIERABEND Denise 1989 SUI  59.57  55.63  1:55.20  +3.80  24.56  10.00
 22  18  106961 MIELZYNSKI Erin 1990 CAN  1:00.18  55.10  1:55.28  +3.88  25.08  9.00
 23  46  206536 WALLNER Marina 1994 GER  1:00.74  54.59  1:55.33  +3.93  25.40  8.00
 24  45  315187 IGNJATOVIC Nevena 1990 SRB  59.81  55.65  1:55.46  +4.06  26.24  7.00
 25  11  196806 NOENS Nastasia 1988 FRA  59.67  55.81  1:55.48  +4.08  26.37  6.00
 26  50  425921 HAUGEN Kristine Gjelsten 1992 NOR  1:00.71  55.17  1:55.88  +4.48  28.96  5.00
 27  40  206532 SCHMOTZ Marlene 1994 GER  1:00.65  56.28  1:56.93  +5.53  35.74  4.00
 28  35  485802 TKACHENKO Ekaterina 1995 RUS  1:00.04  57.31  1:57.35  +5.95  38.46  3.00
 29  28  565320 FERK Marusa 1988 SLO  1:00.29  58.25  1:58.54  +7.14  46.15  2.00
Did not start 1st run
 16  55759 KIRCHGASSER Michaela 1985 AUT
Did not qualify for 2nd run
 74  435404 KRAJEWSKA Daria 1998 POL
 72  95050 KIRKOVA Maria 1986 BUL
 70  516334 CHABLE Charlotte 1994 SUI
 69  405138 JELINKOVA Adriana 1995 NED
 67  538284 MCJAMES Megan 1987 USA
 66  197540 FORNI Josephine 1994 FRA
 65  299313 PERRUCHON Martina 1996 ITA
 62  425879 RIIS-JOHANNESSEN Kristina 1991 NOR
 58  25096 GUTIERREZ Mireia 1988 AND
 57  225518 GUEST Charlotte 1993 GBR
 56  56388 LIENSBERGER Katharina 1997 AUT
 55  355061 HILZINGER Jessica 1997 GER
 53  196803 MOUGEL Laurie 1988 FRA
 52  56333 MAIR Chiara 1996 AUT
 49  506348 STAALNACKE Ylva 1992 SWE
 44  506664 FJAELLSTROEM Magdalena 1995 SWE
 43  307493 ANDO Asa 1996 JPN
 41  506399 HECTOR Sara 1992 SWE
 39  539927 LAPANJA Lila 1994 USA
 37  485637 ALOPINA Ksenia 1992 RUS
 36  306249 HASEGAWA Emi 1986 JPN
 34  206701 WILLIBALD Elisabeth 1996 GER
Did not finish 2nd run
 13  296509 CURTONI Irene 1985 ITA
Did not finish 1st run
 75  35079 SIMARI BIRKNER Maria Belen 1982 ARG
 73  6536213 CASHMAN Keely 1999 USA
 71  35089 SIMARI BIRKNER Macarena 1984 ARG
 68  665009 SHKANOVA Maria 1989 BLR
 64  565471 HROVAT Meta 1998 SLO
 63  107613 GRENIER Valerie 1996 CAN
 61  206408 WEINBUCHNER Susanne 1991 GER
 60  516344 KOPP Rahel 1994 SUI
 59  555018 GASUNA Lelde 1990 LAT
 54  155728 DUBOVSKA Martina 1992 CZE
 51  56253 HUBER Katharina 1995 AUT
 48  307120 ARAI Makiko 1993 JPN
 47  56217 BRUNNER Stephanie 1994 AUT
 42  56174 HAASER Ricarda 1993 AUT
 38  225525 TILLEY Alexandra 1993 GBR
 32  516138 GUT Lara 1991 SUI
 29  506146 SWENN-LARSSON Anna 1991 SWE
 25  197319 BAUD MUGNIER Adeline 1992 FRA
 22  196726 BARTHET Anne-Sophie 1988 FRA
 15  105269 GAGNON Marie-Michele 1989 CAN
 8  425981 SKJOELD Maren 1993 NOR
 1  705423 VLHOVA Petra 1995 SVK

 

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About the Author: Gabbi Hall

A California native, Gabbi moved to Vermont to ski on the NCAA circuit for St. Michael’s College, where she served as team captain and studied journalism. Before joining Ski Racing, she worked as a broadcast TV producer and social media manager in higher education. She can be reached via email at gabbi@skiracing.com