Zuzulova crowned Snow Space Princess with help from Prince Charming

In Flachau, Austria, spectators witnessed a Cinderella story on Tuesday night. But instead of a shoe that fit, it was a slalom course. Veronika Velez Zuzulova’s fast skiing paired well with her husband’s second run set, sending her to her first win of the season at the Flachau night slalom in Austria – and her third World Cup win ever.

“It was a really nice course, and it was the first time that I skied the course of my husband (in a World Cup) … so I am really happy that I managed to win,” said the newly crowned Snow Space Princess. “It will be a nice memory for us.”

The race also marked the first time that Zuzulova has taken a first run lead and turned it into a win.

“For sure, the second run was more tough than the first run, but I’m really happy,” the Slovakian said. “I had to wait a long time to have this feeling again.”

The victory places her in third in the overall slalom standings behind Sweden’s Frida Hansdotter, the current slalom points leader who earned third place tonight down Hermann Maier’s namesake slope. She did not particularly like the evening’s snow conditions, and hopes that a few days will change them for the better. 

“There is one more race on Friday and I am really looking forward to having another chance and taking revenge,” Hansdotter said, who is hunting for her third victory at the venue.

Sarka Strachova of the Czech Republic, who sits second in the overall slalom standings, finished the evening in second.

“I am really happy about this second place, even though I could have skied faster,” Strachova said. “I feel really good this season. I’m healthy and the results are going my way.”

All three ladies shared in the spoils of making the podium at the World Cup race with the highest monetary prizes for women, totaling 181,826 Swiss francs across the field of finishers – about 75,000 of which went to the victor.

Conditions did not make it easy for any of the women to ski the hill smoothly. During the first run, soft, salted snow and continual precipitation caused rapid deterioration of the course conditions, making it tough for athletes to move up. But, it wasn’t impossible.

Americans Lila Lapanja, bib 37, and Paula Moltzan, bib 32, rode the groove and found their way into the second run – a career first for both athletes. In the end, they skied to 23rd and 25th, respectively, earning their first World Cup points. Veteran American Resi Steigler continued to show her consistency by finishing in 15th place.

For Lapanja, it was only her third World Cup start, and she plans to channel her intensity into better tactics.

“I feel pretty good, but I’m a competitor, and I actually already know what I’m going to do differently to go even faster. But this is an amazing start and I can’t wait to see what the future holds,” she said.

Mikaela Shiffrin continues to be off skis as she recovers from an injury sustained in a crash at Are, Sweden, last month. Most recently, she indicated that Dr. Bill Sterrett also diagnosed a hairline fracture in addition to an MCL tear and bone bruise, and the fracture will further delay her return to the World Cup circuit. She is now targeting a return to competition in Jasna, Slovakia, on March 5-6. 

The show will go on without Shiffrin.

Racing resumes on Thursday, Jan. 15, with an afternoon slalom at Flachau. First run starts at 3:30 p.m. local time.

The Scoop
by Hank McKee

1. Velez Zuzulova, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
2. Strachova, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
3. Hansdotter, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
4. Holdener, Head/Head/Head
5. Loeseth, Volkl/Lange/Marker
6. Vlhova, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
7. Swenn-Larsson, Head/Head/Head
8. Noens, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
9. Curtoni, Rossignol/Lange/Rossignol
10. Gisin, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol

• Women’s World Cup slalom, Flachau, Austria, Jan. 12, 2016. … This is a night race. It is the 18^th race of the women’s 41 race schedule … the sixth of 10 scheduled slaloms. … It is the 23^rd World Cup race hosted by Flachau. …  The 15^th slalom and the ninth night slalom. … Frida Hansdotter won the last slalom here Jan. 13, 2015.
• It is the third career World Cup win for Veronika Velez Zuzulova, her second in a night slalom and her first since 2013 when she won a city event parallel race in Munich. … It is her third podium placing of the season, all in slalom. … The winning margin is 0.31 of a second. … Top two skiers are within the same second. … Top eight within two seconds.
• It is the 15^th career World Cup podium placing for Sarka Strachova … Her third of the season. … And her second second place finish of the month having finished in the same place at Santa Caterina Jan. 5.
• It is the 20^th World Cup podium placing for Frida Hansdotter. … Her fifth of the season, all in slalom.
• It is the 40^th time Resi Stiegler has finished in the top 15 of a World Cup race. … The fifth time this season. … She has finished exactly 15^th three times this season. … It is the first career World Cup scoring finish for Lila Lapanja. … It is the first career World Cup scoring finish for Paula Moltzan. … Canadians Erin Mielzynski and Marie-Michele Gagnon both qualified for a second run but failed to finish.
• Lara Gut (did not race) leads the World Cup overall standings 738-700 over Lindsey Vonn (did not race)… Hansdotter is third with 581pts.
• Hansdotter leads the slalom standings 425-351 over Strachova. … Velez Zuzulova is third with 320pts. … Mikaela Shiffrin is seventh with 200pts.
• Austria leads the women’s Nations Cup 2260-1762 over Switzerand. … Italy is third with 1661pts. … The U.S. is fourth at 1458 and Canada 10th at 525pts.

Official Results