Photo: Vlhova. GEPA pictures.

Perfect conditions and blue skies in Italy have created an exciting race. You can hear the solid surface under the skis and the women are taking advantage. 

The women have completed three SL races this season, and as in the first editions, the best continue to lead. With excellent conditions, the best women attacked from the top and provided the type of entertainment fans hoped for. 

Petra Vlhova took has the first-run lead over recent Killington SL co-winner Swiss athlete Wendy Holdener. Vlhova’s lead is 0.24 seconds. However, immediately behind Holdener is US’s Mikaela Shiffrin. Her run started conservatively and finished like a rocket. Shiffrin is easily in touch 0.33 seconds behind the Slovakian slalom SL globe holder. 

Two other skiers were within a second of Vlhová — Lena Dürr and Anna Swenn Larsson, who also won in Killington in a joint first-place finish.

Paula Moltzan, bib 19, skied confidently into 7th. Moltzan has experienced issues finishing this season but looked very good during her first run. Canadian Ali Nulmeyer in immediately behind Moltzan. The top Canadian, Nulmeyer, bib 10, finished 0.36 behind Moltzan in eighth. 

The other US athlete to qualify is Zoe Zimmermann. Zimmerman’s appearance in the second run is not a surprise; she is knocking on the door of the top 30 on the World Cup Start List. However, today bib 34 finished the first round 21st, 2.24 seconds back.

There is a fifth North American qualified for the second run. Canadian Laurence St-Germain, bib 16, finished behind Zimmermann in 23. 

A testament to the course conditions is the reality that ten skiers with bibs outside the 30 qualified for the second run. The best is Italy’s Lara Della Mea, bib 38, who sits in 9th. First-year FIS athlete. Albania’s Lara Colturi, bib 54, qualified 30th and will be the first athlete to start the second run. 

The exciting US athlete Ava Sunshine who scored in her first two World Cups in Levi, was 2nd at the first split before going off the course.

Analysis of top three and other North Americans qualified for second run and top 30 results

Sestriere SL first run top 30 results

The Associated Press contributed to this report.