Technology race in Semmering – Rast: Still on the high with super-G speed and red start number? – Sports

At the giant slalom and slalom in Styria, Camille Rast, the overall World Cup leader, is in particular focus.

After a short Christmas break, the ski technicians are getting back to business this weekend. In Semmering, Austria, there is a giant slalom on Saturday and a slalom on Sunday. These are the first technical races since the World Cup stop in Killington at the beginning of December.

Eyes on the overall World Cup leaders

It was the weekend when Camille Rast’s star really rose. Since her first World Cup triumph in the Killington Slalom, the 25-year-old from Valais is the leader in the overall World Cup for the first time. Is it going to be different now? “No,” laughs Rast. But: “It was liberating. There are now no questions from the media about the first victory in the World Cup.”

Of course, Rast wants to continue her high flight in Semmering. Many eyes will now be on her. But the woman from French-speaking Switzerland remains relaxed as usual. She just wants to have fun on the skis. “I don’t even think about the points or overall ranking, I just think about my skiing.”

Super-G speed for giant slalom

For the giant slalom on Saturday, Rast fine-tuned from another discipline. On December 16th she completed a European Cup race in the Super-G almost “at home” in Zinal. “From Super-G I can get the speed that I need in the giant slalom,” explains Rast. But she won’t be a super-G rider – at least in the near future: “Slalom and giant slalom are enough.”

On Sunday, when things get serious in the slalom, Rast will tackle a race with the red start number for the first time. This is not special for her, because “a race is a race”. When it comes to style, Rast has already received praise: “They told me that the red start number goes well with the racing dress.”

Gut-Behrami likes to think back

From a Swiss perspective, there are two other promising technicians, Wendy Holdener and Lara Gut-Behrami, who should have a say in the top spots. Like Rast, Holdener also has fond memories of the last slalom. In Rast’s victory, she finished second on the podium for the first time since her injury. Unsurprisingly, this did the woman from Schwyz good. Now it’s time to “take the drive with you”.

Gut-Behrami has very fond memories of Semmering. The Ticino native made it onto a giant slalom podium for the first time in Styria 16 years ago. «I’m actually not one to always take memories with me. But the first podium place in the giant slalom was special.” Gut-Behrami also made it onto the podium two years ago at the last “Giant” in Semmering: second place behind the currently injured Mikaela Shiffrin.

Overview