Petra Vlhova takes first slalom win of the season at Flachau Night Race
Jan 08, 2019·Alpine Skiing
Petra Vlhova of Slovakia overcame a 0.31-second deficit after the first run and skied the fastest second run to claim her first Audi FIS Ski World Cup slalom victory since January of 2018 under the lights in Flachau (AUT). It was her fifth career slalom win to make her the most successful female World Cup slalom skier from Slovakia after passing the retired competitor Veronika Velez-Zuzulova – who was on site to witness the emotional event.
Vlhova had finished as runner-up behind Mikaela Shiffrin in the first five slalom races of the 2018/19 season. On Tuesday night, it was Vlhova in the lead with Shiffrin following a close 0.15 seconds behind. The American was highly congratulatory of Vlhova's feat on the challenging second-run course.
Anna Swenn Larsson of Sweden was poised to collect her second career podium following the unofficial results of the race, but she was unfortunately disqualified after officials discovered she unknowingly straddled a gate through a delay on the course. Katharina Liensberger of Austria moved into third place in the official results for her career-first podium on the World Cup tour.
As yet again the highest paying ladies' race on the circuit, Flachau organisers offered up a total pot of 192,864 CHF in significant excess of the minimum mandated amount of 120,000 CHF. Of the total, 78,432 CHF goes to the winner Vlhova.
The ladies' tour now shifts back into speed mode in St. Anton (AUT) with downhill and super-G races scheduled for 12th and 13th January. Due to excessive snowfall, the first downhill training run there originally scheduled for 10th January is canceled. The first training run will then take place on 11th January.
View complete results from today's race here.
[Audio from the press conference was not available from the LOC]
