Austria’s Julia Scheib showcased her prowess in the women’s World Cup giant slalom season opener in Solden, Austria, outpacing American skier Paula Moltzan who missed her chance at a first career win. The U.S. ski team had a strong presence with Mikaela Shiffrin securing fourth place and Nina O’Brien finishing sixth, along with four other Americans ranking in the top 20.
Scheib extended her significant lead from the first run by 1.28 seconds to clinch the victory with a 0.58-second margin, marking the Austrian women’s team’s first World Cup GS win since Eva-Maria Brem’s triumph in Slovakia in March 2016. Lara Gut-Behrami claimed third place, trailing Scheib by 1.11 seconds, while Shiffrin followed at 1.42 seconds.
Expressing relief, Scheib shared, “A load of thousands of kilos has dropped off my shoulders, I was so relieved to see the green light.” She admitted feeling more at ease during the first run compared to the second, attributing the difference to the pressure of being the last racer at the start.
Moltzan expressed her excitement at matching her career-best result, acknowledging the distinction between training and actual race performance. Scheib surprised the favorites in the opening run with her precise race line, finishing well ahead of Moltzan. Shiffrin, starting 20th due to lower GS rankings after a previous injury, displayed a strong comeback, climbing to sixth in the initial run and further advancing in the final run.
Despite not being at full capacity due to lingering post-traumatic stress from a previous crash, Shiffrin emphasized her progress towards recovery, stating, “I am getting closer. The final step is adding the race mentality.” The event also saw Sofia Goggia’s fall during the first run, while the Italian team faced setbacks with injuries to last year’s winner Federica Brignone and former GS champion Marta Bassino.
The women’s event precedes a men’s giant slalom scheduled for the following day on the same hill, capping off an eventful start to the World Cup season.
