Croatia’s rising star Zrinka Ljutić living the dream
REITERALM, Austria (AP) — Zrinka Ljutić, the rising star of Croatian skiing, has been, in her own words, “living the dream” — and she doesn’t want to wake up.
The 21-year-old Zagreb native has been consistently impressive in recent performances. She has already clinched three out of the past four World Cup slaloms, making history with her first World Cup win in Semmering last December. She continued her streak in January with victories in Kranjska Gora and Courchevel. On the home front, she became the first Croatian woman to win a World Cup race since Janica Kostelić in 2006.
The season’s breakthrough to the podium began with a second-place finish in the giant slalom in Killington, Vermont. In that race, Mikaela Shiffrin fell and suffered an abdominal injury, forcing her off the tour for five weeks. Her absence opened the door for younger competitors, including Ljutić, to step up.
Her first World Cup victory: “A perfect race”
Ljutić reflected on her victory in Semmering, saying it had all the right elements. “Semmering, I would say, I was very much close to perfection. I think it’s something that all clicked together. The course, the tempo, and conditions were a perfect fit.” She summed it up: “I would say it was how I would like to have it, I used it, and had the best times in both runs. So, yeah, that’s like a perfect race.”
Courchevel: A confidence booster
After her wins in Semmering and Kranjska Gora, Ljutić felt confident in both her performance and her ability to deliver under pressure. She cited her race in Courchevel as a confidence booster. “Honestly, I didn’t feel that well in training, and even in the warm-up. So, winning showed me I still have it— that I can get the best out of my skiing on a bad day or when I’m not feeling my best.”
That confidence has put her in a good place both physically and mentally. She shared, “I’m in a good spot with my skiing and feel more relaxed than in previous races. I would say I’m in a ‘flow,’ and I hope it’s going to help me in the World Championships.“
Navigating high expectations
As the Slalom and Giant Slalom World Championships approach, Ljutić opened up about her mindset going into the competition. “I would say I do feel more pressure and higher expectations, but I also feel more able to handle it, and it’s not so black and white.”
She elaborated, acknowledging her growing maturity. “I feel both sides of this emotional spectrum, but it’s easier to manage now. I do feel a lot more pressure, but I think that, out of everyone, I’m the one who wants to win it the most. That makes it a bit easier when I think of it that way.“
Preparations for the World Championships
Ljutić had just finished a physical therapy session when she spoke with SRM. She has been training in Reiteralm, completing several days of giant slalom practice and two days of slalom training in Saalbach.
Heading into the World Championships, she is balancing routine with heightened anticipation. “For the preparation, it’s the same really,” she said. But she acknowledged that it’s hard to treat it as just another race. “It’s a bit silly to pretend like it’s just another race because I obviously feel more pressure around it.”
While balancing external expectations with her personal goals, she observed, “Everything else feels the same as a World Cup race, so I’ll try to approach it that way. I think when I don’t pump it up so much, I generally do better in the race. So, I will keep that mindset and approach it as if it’s not a big deal.”
Support from one of the greats
Growing up, Ljutić idolized Croatian ski legends Janica and Ivica Kostelić. Today, she and Janica share a connection through success, and they have spoken since Ljutić’s recent victories. “I saw her in person, and we talked—she was really happy,” Ljutić recounted.
She explained that Kostelić was surprised by how emotional she felt watching Ljutić’s skiing and achievements. Kostelić told her that she finally had someone to cheer for again, and there was a sense of national excitement for her success. “It was nice to hear that perspective from her,” Ljutić commented.
Living the dream
Following her win in Courchevel, Ljutić expressed her excitement in a post-race interview, saying, “I’m living the dream—don’t wake me up.”
Ljutić is currently fourth in the World Cup overall standings, second in slalom, and fifth in giant slalom.
The Women’s World Championships Giant Slalom on Thursday and the Slalom on Saturday will be the young Croatian’s next chance to continue her dream. Ljutić’s achievements, combined with her confidence and determination, point to continued success at the World Championships and throughout the World Cup season.
About the Author: Rick Bachand
