Zrinka Ljutic captures Kranjska Gora slalom title to take overall World Cup lead
The Croatian sensation dictated the pace in the technical event over both runs for her second career World Cup victory. Wendy Holdener and finished second and third in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia on Sunday (5 January).
Alpine Skiing
Zrinka Ljutic affirmed her status as one of the hottest alpine skiing properties, winning in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia on Sunday (5 January), to make it back-to-back women's slalom titles in the 2024/25 FIS World Cup season.
The 20-year-old Croatian had some work to do, as the joint leader with Swiss skier Wendy Holdener going into the second run, with a 0.32s advantage over Camille Rast.
As the penultimate racer down the slope, Holdener looked unbeatable, moving into pole position, over a second clear of the next skier.
But Ljutic tamed the technical event with a sensational run, taking down some of the most respected and established racers on the circuit.
Ljutic moved fractionally ahead on the splits in the opening sections and built on that advantage with some crisp skiing crossing the line in a time of one minute, 39.62 seconds (1:39.62).
Holdener had to settle for second place, finishing 0.16s behind Ljutic, with Sweden’s Anna Swenn-Larsson finishing third with 1:40.81.
Ljutic now leads in both the slalom discipline and the overall standings for the 2024/25 campaign.
“I felt good. I was trying to push everywhere and the only thing that I thought I could do better was let go in the finish a bit earlier but it was enough,” Ljutic told the FIS.
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Kranjska Gora, 2024/25 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup: Results from women's slalom, 5 January 2024 (top 10):
- Zrinka Ljutic (CRO) 1:39.62
- Wendy Holdener (SUI) +0.16
- Anna Swenn Larsson (SWE) +1.19
- Camille Rast (SUI) +1.36
- Melanie Meillard (SUI) +1.44
- Sara Hector (SWE) +1.96
- Andreja Slokar (SLO) +2.35
- Katharina Truppe (AUT) +2.40
- Katharina Liensberger (AUT) +2.50
- Marie Lamure (FRA) +2.68