02:44
Meta Hrovat (SLO)
Meta Hrovat is a bit more hesitant, which is why it is not enough for the Slovenians to set a top time. Nevertheless, Hrovat is still within striking distance with a deficit of 92 hundredths – big surprises are possible here in today’s giant slalom.
02:42
Catherine Troupe (AUT)
As the first starter from the red-white-red camp, Katharina Truppe catapulted herself out of the starting house. From the first split, the 26-year-old is surprisingly in front and preserves the cushion with a flawless drive almost to the finish. The Austrian will definitely be very satisfied with second place.
02:40
Mikaela Shiffrin (USA)
The remaining top favorite for gold is 73-time World Cup winner Mikaela Shiffrin, who would of course love to repeat her victory from Pyeongchang four years ago. However, the dream is over after just a few seconds because the American makes the same mishap as Marta Bassino and is eliminated!
02:39
Sara Hector (SWE)
The big surprise of this giant slalom winter is Sara Hector: A total of three successes brought the Swede first place in the discipline ranking. The extremely aggressive snow on the Olympic slope also seems to suit the 29-year-old, because it tops Federica Brignone’s run in the lower section – that’s the lead for Hector!
02:37
Marta Bassino (ITA)
Marta Bassino dominated this discipline last season and celebrated four victories in giant slalom, but the 25-year-old has lost his self-image. So it’s fitting that the Italian loses the pressure on the outside ski shortly after the start and causes the first failure.
02:36
Tessa Worley (FRA)
The 32-year-old athlete from France is in the second spring of her career and this winter she has pushed herself back to the top of the world through constant performance. Especially in the steep middle section, Tessa Worley loses valuable time due to a few slipping phases and consequently only comes in second.
02:34
Federica Brignone (ITA)
Former overall World Cup winner Federica Brignone also has serious hopes of winning a medal at the start of the Olympics. The Italian chooses the best line so far on the entire route and outclasses the competition by over 1.20 seconds – that’s a first announcement!
02:33
Michelle Gisin (SUI)
The reference time of the all-rounder Michelle Gisin will now provide an indication of what Petra Vlhová’s ride is actually worth. The athlete from Switzerland consistently keeps her skis on the pull and dueled with Petra Vlhová right from the start. With a strong final sprint, Gisin is even enough for the lead!
02:31
Petra Vlhova (SVK)
The giant slalom at Yanqing Ski Resort will be opened by fellow favorite Petra Vlhová, eager to win her first Olympic medal. The Slovak masters the round course setting without any visible mistakes. After a driving time of 59.34 seconds, Vlhová finally crossed the finish line and set the first scent mark.
02:24
Large starting field
As usual, at the Olympic giant slalom in Yanqing, numerous runners from exotic ski nations are on the starting list alongside the established athletes. A total of 82 participants are registered for the first round. At ten degrees below freezing point, the wind on the Olympic mountain Xiaohaituo does not play a very important role today.
02:10
The Swiss team hopes for a perfect start
Winning a medal at the start is the ambitious goal of the Swiss team. Lara Gut-Behrami (car number 14) competes in Yanqing as the reigning world champion in giant slalom, but is going through a changeable winter. Michelle Gisin (2) is known for her ability to focus on the point at the peak of the season, making her a podium contender. Wendy Holdener (16) is usually more at home in slalom, but is also increasingly able to stabilize in this discipline, while the young Camille Rast (24) can look forward to her Olympic debut.
02:01
ÖSV quartet with outsider chances
The runners of the Austrian Ski Association have significantly better chances of winning a medal, although the team is not one of the top favorites either. Katharina Liensberger (car number 15) proved last year at the World Championships in Cortina d’Ampezzo that she can attack the podium on a good day, but recently she was looking for her form. Both Katharina Truppe (8) and Ramona Siebenhofer (13) have long since established themselves in the extended world elite, and Stephanie Brunner (22) completes the ÖSV squad.
01:49
The problem discipline of the DSV
Since Viktoria Rebensburg ended her active career in autumn 2020, there has been a big gap in the giant slalom team of the German Ski Association. Qualifying for a second round is often already considered a success, placing in the top ten is almost impossible. Today only the 18-year-old talent Emma Aicher (start number 44) is flying the flag for the DSV team as a lone fighter. Andrea Filser will miss the Olympic Games due to injury after tearing her syndesmosis ligament during slalom training in December.
01:38
Will Shiffrin defend her title?
Exceptional athlete Mikaela Shiffrin won the gold medal in the giant slalom four years ago in Pyeongchang and is the defending champion in the opening race for women. In China, the American, who would like to compete in all six Olympic competitions, is once again one of the absolute top favourites. The two-time winner of the season, Sara Hector from Sweden, and the usual strong Slovakian Petra Vlhová also have the best cards for precious metal. In addition, Tessa Worley is also in outstanding form and wants to win her first medal in her third Winter Games in Yanqing.
01:30
Warm welcome!
Hello and welcome to the first ever women’s alpine competition at the 2022 Olympic Games! In the giant slalom, the athletes will fight for the first set of medals in the Yanqing ski area. The first round begins at 02:30 a.m. (CET), followed by the decision in the final at 07:30 a.m. (CET).