Featured Image: Zrinka Ljutić. Credit: GEPA
The World Cup women returned to the Courchevel-Meribél slalom track for the night slalom. This exciting event is more than just a race; it’s a celebration, especially with the return of Stifel US Ski Team star Mikaela Shiffrin.
The exhilarating and festive atmosphere of the crowd was radiating from the start. The conditions were reported as fair, but it was sugary on the top of the snow, which was bound to break down as more athletes raced the track.
The young Croatian rising star, Zrinka Ljutić, utilized the clean track to her advantage. She came into the competition trailing in the slalom World Cup standings behind Wendy Holdener (345) and Camille Rast (405). Starting bib 3, she knew she needed to step on the gas to move up.
Ljutić ignited with aggression from top to bottom. While it wasn’t as smooth a performance as Wendy Holdener’s, she managed to secure the lead heading into the second run.
Ljutić has two World Cup victories, achieving both this season in Kranjska Gora and Semmering. If she wins in the second run, she will become the first woman other than Shiffrin and Petra Vlhová to win three out of four World Cup Slaloms since Marlies Schild (AUT) in 2012.
The Top 3 Heading into the Second Run
Wendy Holdener of Switzerland skied a strong, clean, and composed run, which put her into 2nd place heading into the second run.
Holdener and Ljutić claimed a dominating lead over the rest of the field, with the next athlete trailing Holdener by +0.49. Holdener has achieved three 2nd-place results this season but has not won a slalom since 2022. Thus, she will be giving it her all to make up the time to achieve victory.
Austrian Katharina Liensberger was the first athlete to kick out of the start. She skied a strong line, setting the pace at 52.75. Nevertheless, this lead did not hold; she will go into the second run in 3rd place (+0.87).
Liensberger has snagged three World Cup slalom victories, the most recent being in 2022. This season, she’s already scored two podium finishes and is aiming to add another top 3.
Mikaela Shiffrin Returns
Mikaela Shiffrin of the Stifel US Ski Team is making her comeback to the World Cup stage after an oblique injury that kept her off snow for two months. She worked hard in her rehab with a strong team surrounding her to get back before the World Championships.
Before the race she stated, “This is kind of a case of not overthinking it but just enjoying being able to step into a race start again.”
However, today she kicked out with aggression like she never skipped a beat. It was a little less clean than we normally see the G.O.A.T. execute; however, her grit and drive made it a stellar first run.
She completed the initial run in contingency for the top position, finishing +0.87 seconds behind Ljutić, who was in the lead.
Shiffrin has only won one slalom in Courchevel in 2018, but she has seven victories in different disciplines and three World Cup Championship wins on this hill.
Winning was not her main focus as she entered the race; she consistently emphasized that this event is a crucial part of her recovery. She expressed deep appreciation for the opportunity to be back on the snow within the same season. In discussing her gratitude, she remarked, “Any athlete facing a season-ending injury would always prefer to be in a position to return in the same season.”
North Americans
The top North American behind Shiffrin was Ali Nullmeyer of Alpine Canada Alpin. She will head into the second run in 13th position, +1.85 behind the lead.
Nullmeyer has also been off snow rehabbing a back injury. Her skiing was excellent for her return, skiing technically solid from the top to the bottom.
Nullmeyer has seven top-10 finishes in slalom, including one in Courchevel. During the second run, she will be pushing herself to secure a position on the leaderboard.
The Stifel US Ski Team athletes, Paula Moltzan, AJ Hurt, Katie Hensien, and Nina O’Brien, unfortunately didn’t finish the race. Right from the beginning, the four women were skiing with a lot of intensity, clearly aiming for a top spot on the leaderboard. However, they were all pinching the gates, which ended in a straddle or missing gates.
Moltzan was the only one to have a crash. The crash looked acrobatic and possibly painful, but Moltzan was able to stand up and ski down.
Laurence St-Germain of Alpine Canada Alpin was having a strong start to her run but encountered several mistakes that pushed her late and low. She lost speed and was unable to qualify for the second run.
The third Canadian, Amelia Smart, was working the ski from tip to tail throughout the course. She was holding a strong time, in contingency for a top 30, before she sadly straddled in the last set of gates before the finish.
Athletes Fighting the Conditions from the Back
The course started to go deteriorate slightly, but it fared better than many expected given the weather before the race.
Vera Tschurtschenthaler from Italy excelled in her initial run. Starting bib number 44, she secured the 20th position, setting herself up well for the second run and a chance to earn her first score of the season.
Additionally, Thea Stjernesund of Norway was the highest bib number to qualify for the second run. Competing with bib 51, the 28-year-old finished in 29th place after a bold first run. If she continues to perform well in her second run, she will earn her second set of slalom World Cup points for the season.
Top 30 Race Results
Top Three Analysis
North American Analysis
About the Author: Ellie Hartman
