Almost exactly one year ago (January 16, 2024), Sara Hector took her first ever World Cup slalom podium, finishing third in Flachau, Austria.
Tonight it was again time for the slalom in Flachau, and then it became clear that Hector – who before the competition was third in the overall World Cup – likes the slope. She made a strong run, especially at the beginning of the hill, and was third after all, 94 hundredths behind the leading Austrian Katharina Liensberger.
Needed a miss
But in the second run, she made a serious mistake early on and ended up behind. But a fine second half of the race meant that she nevertheless finished second, 38 hundredths behind the Swiss Camille Rast.
But to achieve a podium finish, she needed to hope that either Wendy Holdener or Katharina Liensberger would make a miss for it to be the podium.
Swenn Larsson seventh
And so it happened. Katharina Liensberger made a rough miss at the start of the second run and finished fourth, giving Camille Rast the win ahead of Wendy Holdener and Sara Hector.
– It’s really, really cool! To be on the podium today, it feels magical, says Hector to Radiosporten.
The result means that Hector climbs to second place in the overall World Cup, behind tonight’s winner Rast.
-– We get to enjoy that while it lasts, says Hector.
Second best Swede was Anna Swenn Larsson in seventh place.
Nice second run by Öhlund
Cornelia Öhlund’s second run, which was the fastest of all, was also positive for the Swedish part of the competition.
The 19-year-old, who was 24th after the first run, was responsible for a magnificent second run and had to sit in the leader’s seat for a long time. But after twelve riders who were faster than her in the first race either crashed out or finished in worse times, she had to leave the leader’s seat.
But it was finally enough for a twelfth place, something she has only surpassed once: In Åre 2023 when she finished tenth in the slalom.
Öhlund broke his thumb ten days ago and drives with a special protection.
