Women’s first two downhill runs – Lydeka wins in Crans-Montana – Naufer shines in fourth place – Sports

Top ranked

• 1. Ester Ledecka (CZE) 1:30.17 min
• 2. Ragnhild Mowinckel (NOR) +0.21sec
• 3. Cornelia Hütter (AUT) +0.42
• 4. Prisca Neufer (Switzerland) +0.81.81.81

She is a two-time Olympic Alpine Ski Champion (2018 and 2022) and a two-time Olympic Super G Champion (2018). Ester Ledecka has also won the World Cup three times since Saturday. After winning in 2019 at Lake Louise (on the slopes) and in 2020 at Val d’Isere (Super G), the Czech multi-level player won his first downhill in Crans-Montana.

With start number 8, Ledecka replaced Major Rangnhild Mowinckel from Norway. As a result, the victory for the 26-year-old from Prague was once again in jeopardy: With a No. 19, Cornelia Hütter was just 0.11 seconds behind the best time in the last split. The Austrian lost about 3 tenths to the finish and finished third.

We provide and love Crans Montana

Next to the podium, Prisca Neufer took fourth place (+0.81). The 30-year-old from Obwalden, who had already made an impact in the training sessions, showed an impressive run with a high starting number of 30 and achieved her best result in the World Cup (previously 6th place). Clearly, Nofer feels right at home in Crans-Montana: out of her top 7, she scored 5 at the Valais Ski Resort.

For Naver, the sense of accomplishment in Crans-Montana was belatedly complimented by the disappointment in Beijing. There she did not get a starting place for the Olympic downhill despite a good training performance. “Beijing was a bit disappointing and I drove here with a bit of a rage in my stomach,” Nofer said in a post-race interview.

The other Swiss

• 6. Joanna Helen +1.11
• 7. Michele Jezin +1.12
• 10. Corinne Sutter +1.22
• 22. Jasmine Flory +2.30
• 36. Yasmina Sutter +3.02
• 40. Stephanie Jenal +3.36
• DNF Lara Gut Bahrami and Noemi Kohli

From a Swiss point of view, the race started very poorly. Lara Gut-Behrami jumped with start #1 after about 40 seconds with very little guidance and then missed the next target.

Joanna Hallen was sent to the ring as the second Swiss. The fastest in the first practice session confirmed her good form and finished sixth, 1.11 seconds behind Ledecka. The 30-year-old has only been ranked twice in the World Cup. And Michel Jezin came in seventh after Halen hundred. The Olympic composite champ was just 0.25s behind Ledecka in the fourth split, but lost 87ths in the last 23 seconds of driving.

Sutter pose 4 points

In 10th place was Olympic downhill champion Corinne Sutter, the fourth best Swiss. Schwitz’s home didn’t run perfectly – I actually lost a lot of time at the top of the track. After all, Sutter finished two places ahead of Sofia Goggia and was able to make up 4 points for the Italian in the fight for the little crystal ball. With 2 left to go, the Swiss are still 65 points behind Goggia.

add-on

On Sunday there will be a second descent on the same route. Then the ski crew moves to Lenzerheide, where there is a Super-G race (05.03.) and a giant slalom (06.03.) on the weekend programme.