(Photo: Zrinka Ljutić/Instagram)
Croatian skier Zrinka Ljutić won her first FIS Alpine skiing World Cup victory with first place in the Semmering slalom on Sunday in Austria.
After an excellent first round, which she finished as leader, the native of Zagreb again produced a superb performance in the second round, finally securing victory with an impressive advantage of 1.75 seconds over German Lena Dürr. Austrian Katharina Liensberger finished in third place.
A better career result
This season, Ljutić has consistently placed in the top ten in slalom events. She finished sixth at Levi, ninth at Gurgl and sixth again at Killington.
She has been on the slalom podium four times in her career, including three earlier this year at last season’s races in Jasná, Soldeu and Åre, where she finished second each time.
This victory marks her first career victory and the first for Croatian women’s skiing in over 18 years, since the triumphs of Janica Kostelić.
Earlier this year, she finished second at the giant slalom World Cup held in Slovakia.
Ljutić has already left a lasting impression on Croatian skiing. Representing the Croatian Žuti Mačak Ski Club from Zagreb, she won a historic gold medal at the Junior World Championships in Canada in 2022.
This victory represents a remarkable personal achievement and a revolutionary moment for Croatian skiing, as it is the first ever gold medal won by a Croatian woman at the FIS Junior World Championships.
