Petra Vlhova stops Mikaela Shiffrin’s record hunt – for the time being. The Slovakian wins in Flachau, Lena Dürr is a strong third.
Mikaela Shiffrin went into the final in second place. In front of her with a lead of 17 hundredths is her permanent rival Petra Vlhova. The big showdown ensued: the US-American put forward, ousting Lena Dürr, who had meanwhile been in the lead, in second place. But Vlhova was faster again, she won and Shiffrin has to wait for her record. The German Dürr was the laughing third, she was happy about the second podium place of the season.
Dürr said after the race: “I was just so happy when it lit up green at the bottom. I noticed that I was going fast and I heard the speaker and I thought: oh please bring it to the finish.”
Dürr started the final run in fourth place. She was less than four tenths off the podium, but she started cautiously. The German initially lost her entire lead. In the middle section, however, she turned up the heat and took the lead with a large lead. That should be enough for the podium, because the only 18-year-old Zrinka Ljutic, who started after Dürr, was eliminated after just a few goals.
Strong German result
A total of three Germans made it into the top 10, because Jessica Hilzinger, who was 12th in the first race, also drove a good second run and was happy about eighth place. Hilzinger made the World Cup norm clear.
Youngster Emma Aicher also managed a strong final run. She maintained her lead over the previously leading Canadian, Ali Nullmeyer, and took the lead for the time being. In the end it was ninth place. Third-placed Lena Dürr was not only happy about her placement, but about the entire team performance: “Three Germans among the top ten – that’s brutal and I’m proud of the girls.”
Andrea Filser, on the other hand, had a completely messed up run. She made several mistakes on the waves in the final and then retired just before the finish.
Next try for Shiffrin
At the World Cup stop in St. Anton next weekend, Mikaela Shiffrin has the next chance to win the 83rd World Cup. There the women drive a downhill and a Super-G.