Petra Vlhova wins her first giant slalom race at the Magic Mountain

by Bruno Fleckenstein

A hundredths thriller loomed for the second run in the women's giant slalom race in Semmering (AUT) when the top four racers were separated by just six hundredths after the first run. Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) led by two hundredths ahead of Stefanie Brunner (AUT). Ragnhild Monwinckel (NOR) was one hundredth behind the Austrian and Petra Vlhova (SVK) made a strong first run, six hundredths behind the leading American, securing a good starting position for the second run. Viktoria Rebensburg (GER) started seventh and was able to convince in the upper part. But in a transition she took off too far over a wave and had to correct strongly and lost the advantage she had gained in the upper part and ended up in 10th place six tenths behind.

For the German there was then nothing left to lose and it was a matter of taking full risk. As she said, she could count on a slightly better piste than the top seeded racers who would start after her.

An exciting second run was on the horizon
Viktoria Rebensburg was the first of the favorites to start the second run. Small mistakes crept in, but this time she succeeded in the transition and skied the lower part sensationally, gaining more than five tenths of a second and taking the lead with the best time in her run. After Rebensburg Tessa Worley (FRA) tried to live up to her role as favorite and she succeeded until the final stretch. But in the end she was 15 hundredths behind the leader.

Federica Brignone (ITA) and Anna Veith (AUT) were the following skiers who could not threaten Tessa Worley (FRA) or Viktoria Rebensburg (GER) despite a good race. Then Petra Vlhova (SVK) started her second run. She skied strong at the top and hardly lost any of her advantage. Also in the middle and lower part she skied solid, constant and almost without mistakes. That's why the time lit up green in the finish area and she took the lead with 0.45 seconds ahead of Rebensburg.

After that, only three racers were left at the top of the starting gate. Monwinckel, Brunner and Shiffrin. And it was almost impossible to beat the suspense. Who of the three could challenge Vlhova for the victory?

Ragnhild Monwinckel (NOR) had trouble with the second run, was late in the transition, skied a bit unclean, lost a lot of time because of that and dropped back to seventh intermediate position. Stefanie Brunner (AUT) wanted to do too well in her home race, probably believed she had to make it to the podium and seemed to ski a bit cramped. She ended up in an unfortunate fourth place, four hundredths behind France's Tessla Worley. After that, all eyes were on the American top favorite. Mikaela Shiffrin skied very cleanly, almost elegantly around the poles and was able to maintain the lead in the upper part. But in the middle, but especially in the lower part, she lost momentum, was not aggressive enough. That was unusual. To everyone's surprise, she fell back to fifth place 0.66 seconds behind Petra Vlhova, who was moved to tears and could hardly believe her first victory in this discipline.

The fact that Rebensburg went from 10th to second place and Tessla Worley would finish the race on a podium was also not foreseeable. And that is probably what continues to make skiing so exciting and attractive.

Results WC Giant Slalom Women Semmering

Rank	Start number	Driver, year	Nation	1st run	2nd run	Total time	Difference
1	12	Petre Vlhova, 1995	SVK	1:02:38	1:02:34	2:04:72
2	7	Viktoria Rebensburg, 1989	GER	1:02:96	1:02:21	2:05:17	+0.45
3	5	Tessa Worley, 1989	FRA	1:02:76	1:02:56	2:05:32	+0.60
4	2	Stephanie Brunner, 1994	AUT	1:02:34	1:03:02	2:05:36	+0.64
5	6	Mikaela Shiffrin, 1995	USA	1:02:32	1:03:06	2:05:38	+0.66
6	3	Federica Brignone, 1990	ITA	1:02:50	1:02:98	2:05:48	+0.76
7	9	Ricarda Haaser, 1993	AUT	1:03:08	1:02:54	2:05:62	+0.90
8	16	Anna Veith, 1989	AUT	1:02:44	1:03:22	2:05:66	+0.94
9	1	Ragnhild Mowinckel, 1992	NOR	1:02:35	1:03:37	2:05:72	+1.00
10	15	Marta Bassino, 1996	ITA	1:03:47	1:02:76	2:06:23	+1.51