Gut continues last season’s dominance with Soelden win

By Published On: October 22nd, 2016Comments Off on Gut continues last season’s dominance with Soelden win

Lara Gut started the season with a statement: she’s not resting on her laurels. The Swiss star, who won the World Cup overall title last season, dominated the women’s field by over a second to take the first victory of the new winter in the giant slalom at Soelden, Austria, on Oct. 22.

“It’s always special in Soelden, and you know it’s my first time coming as an [overall] winner,” Gut said. “I had a tough time this morning, I was just thinking all the time today – like Marcel [Hirscher] told me yesterday just to ski. My team exactly told me the same. So I tried just not to think and ski.”

Her winning margin – 1.44 seconds – was reminiscent of the margins fans saw in slalom races that Mikaela Shiffrin dominated last season. The Swiss skier said that once she decided to enjoy the blue bird day, she was able to get out of her own head and just ski.

“I’m happy I had a fast first run because the second run was just a fight,” Gut said after her victory.

The U.S. Ski Team’s Shiffrin did not disappoint fans either, repeating her performance from last year’s World Cup opener by earning second place.

I definitely like second,” Shiffrin said. “I like first better, but it is nice to start off on this foot and it was really a tough day for a lot of girls, I think. Lara was the only one who really skied as hard as she could, and I’m happy with where I’m at. I took more risks than I ever have in a GS, but I can do better.”

The American explained that the conditions were perfect – “grippy, but hard” as she put it, adding that even when she ran 29th on the second run, conditions held up well.

“It’s the kind of conditions that gave me a shot to podium,” Shiffrin shared.

Nearly half a second behind her was 20-year-old Marta Bassino, who earned her first career World Cup podium. The Italian was 1.93 seconds off of Gut’s pace, finishing in third.

“I’m so excited, and it’s the first podium,” Bassino said. “I’m so happy. It’s like a dream.”

Off the podium, Slovakia’s Petra Vlhova was able to take advantage of the conditions, making an impressive move from bib 55 to eighth place in the final results. Last year’s Soelden winner, Federica Brignone, barely squeaked into the top 10, finishing in ninth.

Notably absent from the top 10 was last year’s giant slalom globe winner, Eva-Maria Brem, who finished in 26th place. Liechtenstein’s Tina Weirather, the third-place finisher in 2015, ended the day in 15th place. Austria’s Anna Veith and Germany’s Viktoria Rebensburg did not start the race as they continue to recover from their respective injuries.

Aside from Shiffrin, only one other American pushed out of the start gate on Saturday. Independent skier Megan McJames earned her spot by winning the NorAm title last year, and says despite her performance on the Rettenbach glacier, she’s feeling fine heading into the rest of the season.

“I’m feeling good on my skis and training is going well, so I just have to bring it up to the World Cup. And the challenge for me is to have enough resources and support when I’m at big races like this, and so that’s what I’m working on,” she explained.

Action continues tomorrow from Soelden with the men’s giant slalom, kicking off at 10 a.m. CET/4 a.m. EST. Information on NBC Sports coverage in the U.S. is available here.

Fans can stay up to date on World Cup news by downloading the U.S. Ski Team – Ski Racing app for iOS and Android.


Top 10 Finishers

  1. Lara Gut (SUI) – Head / Head / Head
  2. Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) – Atomic / Atomic / Atomic
  3. Marta Bassino (ITA) – Salomon / Salomon / Salomon
  4. Stephanie Brunner (AUT) – Head / Head / Head
  5. Sofia Goggia (ITA) – Atomic / Atomic / Atomic
  6. Tessa Worley (FRA) – Rossignol / Rossignol / Rossignol
  7. Michaela Kirchgasser (AUT) – Atomic / Atomic / Atomic
  8. Petra Vlhova – Rossignol / Rossignol / Look
  9. Federica Brignone (ITA) – Rossignol / Rossignol / Rossignol
  10. Ana Drev (SLO)  – Volkl / Dalbello / Marker

Official Results

Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Run 1 Run 2 Total Time Diff. FIS Points
 1  2  516138 GUT Lara 1991 SUI  1:10.11  1:12.91  2:23.02  0.00
 2  16  6535237 SHIFFRIN Mikaela 1995 USA  1:11.53  1:12.93  2:24.46  +1.44  9.87
 3  10  299276 BASSINO Marta 1996 ITA  1:11.95  1:13.00  2:24.95  +1.93  13.22
 4  20  56217 BRUNNER Stephanie 1994 AUT  1:12.36  1:12.94  2:25.30  +2.28  15.62
 5  21  298323 GOGGIA Sofia 1992 ITA  1:12.92  1:12.87  2:25.79  +2.77  18.98
 6  13  196928 WORLEY Tessa 1989 FRA  1:12.88  1:12.96  2:25.84  +2.82  19.32
 7  12  55759 KIRCHGASSER Michaela 1985 AUT  1:12.39  1:13.64  2:26.03  +3.01  20.63
 8  55  705423 VLHOVA Petra 1995 SVK  1:13.64  1:12.61  2:26.25  +3.23  22.13
 9  6  297601 BRIGNONE Federica 1990 ITA  1:12.08  1:14.18  2:26.26  +3.24  22.20
 10  3  565268 DREV Ana 1985 SLO  1:12.62  1:13.69  2:26.31  +3.29  22.54
 11  30  197124 FRASSE SOMBET Coralie 1991 FRA  1:13.54  1:13.03  2:26.57  +3.55  24.33
 12  45  56241 SCHNEEBERGER Rosina 1994 AUT  1:13.42  1:13.16  2:26.58  +3.56  24.39
 13  33  56174 HAASER Ricarda 1993 AUT  1:13.65  1:13.02  2:26.67  +3.65  25.01
 14  28  56315 TRUPPE Katharina 1996 AUT  1:13.41  1:13.28  2:26.69  +3.67  25.15
 15  7  355050 WEIRATHER Tina 1989 LIE  1:13.49  1:13.23  2:26.72  +3.70  25.35
 16  18  516280 HOLDENER Wendy 1993 SUI  1:13.94  1:12.91  2:26.85  +3.83  26.24
 17  9  105269 GAGNON Marie-Michele 1989 CAN  1:13.39  1:13.48  2:26.87  +3.85  26.38
 18  41  516528 MEILLARD Melanie 1998 SUI  1:13.81  1:13.07  2:26.88  +3.86  26.45
 19  36  565373 ROBNIK Tina 1991 SLO  1:13.22  1:13.73  2:26.95  +3.93  26.93
 20  15  296259 MOELGG Manuela 1983 ITA  1:13.79  1:13.37  2:27.16  +4.14  28.37
 21  42  206355 DUERR Lena 1991 GER  1:14.05  1:13.17  2:27.22  +4.20  28.78
 21  17  505886 KLING Kajsa 1988 SWE  1:12.24  1:14.98  2:27.22  +4.20  28.78
 23  26  516268 WILD Simone 1993 SUI  1:14.00  1:13.33  2:27.33  +4.31  29.53
 24  4  505760 PIETILAE-HOLMNER Maria 1986 SWE  1:13.34  1:14.58  2:27.92  +4.90  33.58
 25  22  297702 MARSAGLIA Francesca 1990 ITA  1:13.90  1:14.24  2:28.14  +5.12  35.08
 26  23  425929 MOWINCKEL Ragnhild 1992 NOR  1:13.23  1:14.93  2:28.16  +5.14  35.22
 26  5  55898 BREM Eva-Maria 1988 AUT  1:13.22  1:14.94  2:28.16  +5.14  35.22
 28  1  425771 LOESETH Nina 1989 NOR  1:13.29  1:15.31  2:28.60  +5.58  38.24
 29  65  506341 WIKSTROEM Emelie 1992 SWE  1:14.03  1:14.91  2:28.94  +5.92  40.56
Disqualified 2nd run
 47  197215 MASSIOS Marie 1992 FRA
Did not qualify for 2nd run
 66  695108 KNYSH Olha 1995 UKR
 64  385096 POPOVIC Leona 1997 CRO
 63  315187 IGNJATOVIC Nevena 1990 SRB
 61  197540 FORNI Josephine 1994 FRA
 60  516562 RAST Camille 1999 SUI
 59  56328 ORTLIEB Nina 1996 AUT
 58  425981 SKJOELD Maren 1993 NOR
 57  565401 BUCIK Ana 1993 SLO
 56  485926 KRYUKOVA Kristina 1997 RUS
 54  197651 DIREZ Clara 1995 FRA
 53  206759 HIRTL-STANGGASSINGER Katrin 1998 GER
 52  197616 ALPHAND Estelle 1995 FRA
 50  405138 JELINKOVA Adriana 1995 NED
 49  307255 ISHIKAWA Haruna 1994 JPN
 46  155728 DUBOVSKA Martina 1992 CZE
 44  516504 DANIOTH Aline 1998 SUI
 43  56282 RESCH Stephanie 1995 AUT
 39  107613 GRENIER Valerie 1996 CAN
 38  485731 ROMANOVA Anastasia 1993 RUS
 37  307493 ANDO Asa 1996 JPN
 35  225525 TILLEY Alexandra 1993 GBR
 34  107387 CRAWFORD Candace 1994 CAN
 32  538284 MCJAMES Megan 1987 USA
 31  306249 HASEGAWA Emi 1986 JPN
 27  196726 BARTHET Anne-Sophie 1988 FRA
 24  297910 CURTONI Elena 1991 ITA
 19  197319 BAUD MUGNIER Adeline 1992 FRA
 14  296509 CURTONI Irene 1985 ITA
 11  296729 FANCHINI Nadia 1986 ITA
 8  505679 HANSDOTTER Frida 1985 SWE
Did not finish 1st run
 62  435334 GASIENICA-DANIEL Maryna 1994 POL
 51  56199 KAPPAURER Elisabeth 1994 AUT
 48  516394 SUTER Jasmina 1995 SUI
 40  299624 PIROVANO Laura 1997 ITA
 29  565331 LAVTAR Katarina 1988 SLO
 25  55977 THALMANN Carmen 1989 AUT

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About the Author: Gabbi Hall

A California native, Gabbi moved to Vermont to ski on the NCAA circuit for St. Michael’s College, where she served as team captain and studied journalism. Before joining Ski Racing, she worked as a broadcast TV producer and social media manager in higher education. She can be reached via email at gabbi@skiracing.com