First slalom of the season – Velhova ahead of Shiffrin-Holdner and Jesen Strong – Sport

Platform

• 1. Petra Flova (SVK) 1:46.19
• 2. Michaela Shiffrin (USA) +0.31
• Lina Dor (Germany) +0.84.00.00

Petra Flova was once again unbeatable at Levi. After her victory last season, the Slovakian World Cup winner celebrated her third consecutive victory in Finland, and fourth overall. Velhova set the fastest time in the first round and also defended her position in the finals. In the end she had a lead of 0.31 seconds over Michaela Shiffrin.

The American, already runner-up in the first half, failed to equal the record of Ingemar Stenmark. With her 46th slalom win, she would have set the Swedish record for most slalom victories. Lina Dur can look forward to third place. The 30-year-old German rose from sixth place in the second half and climbed to the podium for the first time in her career.

Swiss women

• 7. Wendy Holdener +1,50
• 8. Michele Jezin +1,63

Wendy Holdener showed a strong race six weeks after sustaining a broken hand. Schwyzerin made two hostile flights. After finishing 8th in the morning, she improved by one place. I lost 1.50 seconds at the best time.

“She had some very good turns. I made a couple of mistakes because I just attacked. This situation makes me happy,” said Holder, drawing a positive conclusion after her comeback.

Michelle Jezin can also be satisfied with her performance. Engelberger, who was thwarted by Pfeiffer’s glandular fever in the summer, finished eighth just behind Holdner (down 1.63sec). In the first half she was still in fifth place, but then fell behind.

The other Swiss

• Eliminated after the first round: Camille Rast (37), Melanie Millard (44), Elena Stoffel (48), Nicole Judd (52), Carol Bessig (elimination)

Of the seven Swiss women who started, Jezen and Holder were the only ones who could qualify for the second competition. Camille Rast, Melanie Millard, Elena Stoffel and Nicole Judd missed the top 30. Carol Bessig was eliminated.

add-on

Another slalom race will be held in Levi on Sunday (first round from 10:20 a.m. on SRF Zwei and in the SRF Sports app, second race from 1:20 p.m.). Next weekend in Killington there’s a giant slalom on Saturday and a slalom on Sunday.