The huge talent Zrinka Ljutic takes the next slalom success. The Germans Lena Dürr and Emma Aicher made two early and bitter mistakes.
What a starting position that was for Emma Aicher: The 21-year-old started the decision in the slalom in Kranjska Gora in Slovenia from fifth place. She now had the best slalom result of her career (previously seventh place in Are in March 2024).
Double out: Dürr and Aicher have similar mishaps
But after just a few seconds of driving, she let out a scream of horror and the ski racer suddenly rose from her driving position. Aicher scored the seventh goal on Sunday afternoon (January 5th, 2024). A few weeks ago in Killington she had made a similar mistake after a good starting position.
And there was another bitter parallel in Slovenia: Germany’s strongest slalom runner Lena Dürr was eliminated in the first round after a similar mishap. At the finish, the two had to follow the victory of the Croatian giant talent Zrinka Ljutic.
Next success for Croatian Zrinka Ljutic
The 20-year-old Ljutic had already won in Semmering a week ago, and now she has achieved another success. The Swiss Wendy Holdener came second (0.16 seconds back), ahead of Anna Swenn Larsson from Sweden (+1.19).
Due to the two bitter failures, Germany’s best was surprisingly Jessica Hilzinger in 21st place (+3.58); she had just qualified for the second round in Kranjska Gora in 30th place.
Slippery slopes require this Female ski racers
The ski slopes in Slovenia were icy and slippery; it had rained again in the past few days – and so a small layer of ice formed on the prepared snow. The slalom runners were well aware of this on Sunday; the day before, some ski racers had already slipped during the giant slalom.
And although this awareness was there: such a slippery slope simply has its dangers and is more difficult to predict. The strongest German slalom runner Dürr also had to experience this in the first round. After just the eighth goal she slipped away – and was eliminated. “I didn’t really understand it myself. It happened faster than I could even see.”she said at the sports show microphone.
Dürr’s mistake could have an impact on the season
It’s a painful mistake that can now have a negative impact on their entire season, as this year the battle in the overall rankings for the slalom crystal ball is closer than it has been for a long time.
Before the race, Dürr was in second place, only 20 points behind the leader Camille Rast. Since Sunday afternoon there are now more than 70 points – on Ljutic. The ranking has changed.
Holdener, Rast and Ljutic shine in Shiffrin’s absence
Dürr’s failure is particularly painful this season. Because the actually strongest slalom skiers in the world, the multiple winners Mikaela Shiffrin and Petra Vlhova, are both still missing injured.
In the fifth slalom of the winter, it was Ljutic, Holdener and the fourth Rast who stepped into the breach. Dürr had to watch them finish.