ALPINE SKI WORLD CUP 2024-2025 – Zrinka Ljutic won in the Kransjka Gora slalom this Sunday, narrowly beating Wendy Holdener. First Frenchwoman, Marie Lamure achieved a magnificent performance by signing her best career ranking (10th).
Twenty-four hours after the victory of Sara Hector on the Géant, slalom was in the spotlight this Sunday to close the weekend at Kranjska Gora. While the ranking of the big globe is tighter than ever, there were big points to be taken, with an expected fight between the winner of the day before (Hector), Zrinka Ljuticauthor of a first resounding success in Semmering, and Camille Rast.
The big names are there in the first round
Unlike the Semmering stage which Ljutic knocked out in the first round, the positions will not be settled immediately. By going under 51 seconds, the Croatian will take the lead, tied with the Swiss Wendy Holdenerwho performed a magnificent slalom with bib 1 on his back. Camille Rast did she position herself in ambush (+0.32), with the Swede Anna Swenn Larsson (+0.34), while Sara Hector suffered a more serious outlay (+0.78), finding herself only 6th, tied with Melanie Meillard. On the German side, yes Lena Duerr fell, Emma Aicher on the other hand, was a hit by positioning itself in 5th place with bib 18 (+0.66). There are then seven of them to be below the second before the second round.
The victory was therefore decided without surprise between these skiers. Previously, several girls distinguished themselves by achieving great comebacks, like the American Katie Hensien (12th, +14 places) or even Katharina Liensberger (9th, +12), who was on the podium in the last slalom. The Austrian will also remain seated in the leader’s chair for many minutes thanks to a second great run. You will have to wait around ten competitors for her time to fall. Just after the fall ofAJ Hurtwhile the American was on cloud nine, it was finally Andreja Slokar who seizes the brand, just before the long-awaited big battle.
Zrinka Ljutic coiffe au poteau Wendy Holdener
Sara Hector (6th) seems to set the bar high with a total time of 1:41.58, but his performance will be forgotten by the sparkling passage of Melanie Meillard (5th). At the same time as the Swede, the Swiss is more than half a second behind her rival! But she’s another Swede, Anna Swenn Larsson (3rd), who will dislodge her before the arrival of the last three competitors, all held in a pocket handkerchief. If Camille Rast (4e) fails, this is not the case for Wendy Holdener. Capitalizing on her lead, the Swiss will continue her excellent momentum by crushing her rivals, sticking to Larsson by more than a second!
-Zrinka Ljutic is then under pressure, but the Croatian is not going to give in. If she is equal in the first part, she will fly away in the second to surpass her rival by 16 hundredths, and achieve her second consecutive victory in the slalom, confirming her new status as queen of the specialty!
Marie Lamure signs her best career performance
On the Tricolore side, the main hopes rested on Marie Lamure following the first round. Author of a perfect slalom, the Frenchwoman had the opportunity to achieve her best career ranking (11th) thanks to a good 10th place, which she then had to defend during the second run. What she will achieve with great confidence. With the necessary aggressiveness, and above all no mistakes, she will succeed in winning her first career Top 10 ! Enough to give you confidence for the rest of the winter.
Further back, Chiara Pogneaux et Clarisse Breche also held onto the Top 30 brilliantly, before being in terrible trouble in the second. While they were 18th and 24th respectively, they fell to the back of the top 30, with a frustrating 25th place for Pogneaux, and 27th for Brèche. For their part, Dorian Escane (36e), Marion Chevrier (42nd) and Caitlin MacFarlane (48th) did not make the cut, and ended the day without a point.
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