World Cup start in Sölden
Ski ace succeeds – family cries at the finish
Updated 10/25/2025 – 11:11 amReading time: 2 minutes
The ski racers heralded the start of the Olympic winter season on Saturday. An Austrian surprised in the first round of the giant slalom.
The summer break is over and the Olympic winter traditionally began for female ski racers: the World Cup started on Saturday with the women’s giant slalom in Sölden. In addition to DSV ace Emma Aicher, international stars such as Mikaela Shiffrin and the Australian Alice Robinson also took part in the first round. However, the best of the previous season, Federica Brignone, was missing due to injury.
With a lot of headwind in the first section of the route, the athletes had to prove themselves. The Austrian Julia Scheib achieved this best in the first round. The 27-year-old showed an incredible race in front of the home crowd and came through
1:07.80 at the finish. She was one second ahead of the previous leader, Paula Moltzan, and moved her family to tears.
The American Moltzan (+1.28), who had already taken a risk, also left a good impression. This year’s third-place finisher at the World Cup raised her arms at the finish and beamed into the camera – she also has the best prospects for the second round. Just like the current third Zrinka Ljutic (+1.32).
Moltzan then explained on ZDF: “The wind isn’t easy at the top, but otherwise it was good. I’m happy.” She also added: “I trained with Julia Scheib for three days.” That seems to have paid off as both athletes did very well in the first round.
Just like the World Cup record holder Mikaela Shiffrin: The American was particularly impressive in the upper section of the course and played to her strengths. After the first round, the two-time Olympic champion is in sixth place (+1.69).
One of the favorites, Robinson, couldn’t keep up with the very best of the first round. This year’s World Championships silver medalist arrived at the finish line behind. She is in eleventh place before the second run (+2.14). The Swiss Camille Rast also couldn’t finish in the top five. The slalom world champion already had problems on the steep slope and also lost time in the lower section of the route. She is in thirteenth place (+2.23).
From a German perspective, the first run was solid: Lena Dürr got in well, but controlled her race a lot and lost some time as a result. Still, her performance was appealing. She is in twelfth place before the second round (+2.19). Afterwards, Dürr said: “I was able to pull it off quite well. It was fun despite the poor visibility. Unfortunately, you can’t see anything at all, but so far so good.”
Emma Aicher also got off to a good start. However, she drove a little cautiously on the steep slope and lost time. The German still has to worry about getting into the second round.
There were also the first falls: the 2018 Olympic downhill champion Sofia Goggia got her arm caught on the gate, twisted and fell. She slid down the slope, but was able to get back up herself. Goggia was eliminated due to the fall. As does Lara Della Mea. Goggia’s teammate also slid down the slope and lost a ski. The Swede Ema Loevblom shared the fate with the Italians.