Zrinka Ljutic dominates Semmering slalom for first World Cup triumph
Ljutic went quickest on both runs to win by a massive one and three-quarter seconds from Lena Duerr with Katharina Liensberger in third.
Alpine Skiing
Zrinka Ljutic lit up the 2024/25 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season with a scintillating victory in the Semmering slalom on Sunday (29 December).
Taking a lead of 0.51 into the second run, the 20-year-old mastered a tricky, rutting track to win by fully one and three-quarter seconds from Lena Duerr with home favourite Katharina Liensberger in third.
Ljutic is the first Croatian to win a World Cup race since Janica Kostelic in 2006, and showed she is a real challenger to slalom aces Mikaela Shiffrin and Petra Vlhova when they return from respective injuries.
Liensberger had the Austrian crowd on their feet with a fine second run, but Duerr took over at the top by a tenth of a second with just Ljutic to go.
If the youngster had any nerves, she did not show them as she attacked the top half with gusto. Ljutic kept extending her lead and, despite almost coming unstuck midway down the course, managed to go even quicker than Liensberger for a first World Cup win and sixth podium finish.
Camille Rast took fourth to regain top spot in the overall World Cup standings from Saturday's giant slalom winner Federica Brignone. Ljutic also moved past the Italian veteran into second.
The women are back in action next weekend in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia for a giant slalom followed by a slalom.
Semmering, 2024/25 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup: Results from women's slalom, 29 December 2024 (top 10):
- Zrinka Ljutic (CRO) 1:43.33
- Lena Duerr (GER) +1.75
- Katharina Liensberger (AUT) +1.85
- Camille Rast (SUI) +2.16
- Sara Hector (SWE) +2.28
- Wendy Holdener (SUI) +2.41
- Melanie Meillard (SUI) +2.82
- Emma Aicher (GER) +2.85
- Andreja Slokar (SLO) +3.04
- Katharina Huber (AUT) +3.13