Austrian skier Julia Scheib showcased a dominant performance at the women’s World Cup giant slalom season opener in Solden, Austria, preventing American skier Paula Moltzan from securing her first career victory. The U.S. ski team put on a strong display, with Mikaela Shiffrin finishing fourth and Nina O’Brien in sixth place, alongside four more Americans within the top 20.
Scheib extended her substantial lead from the first run by 1.28 seconds to ultimately clinch the victory by 0.58 seconds, marking the first World Cup GS win for the Austrian women’s team since Eva-Maria Brem’s triumph in March 2016. Lara Gut-Behrami secured the third spot, trailing 1.11 seconds behind, while Shiffrin followed 1.42 seconds later.
Expressing relief, Scheib mentioned, “A load has lifted off my shoulders, I was so relieved to see the green light.” Despite not having won a World Cup race before, she finished third in the previous season’s opener.
Moltzan expressed her excitement at matching her career-best result, acknowledging the difference between training and race performance. Scheib surprised the favorites in the first run with her near-perfect race line, finishing ahead of Moltzan by 1.28 seconds.
Shiffrin, the 2018 Olympic GS champion with a record of 22 World Cup wins in the discipline, started in 20th place due to her lower GS ranking following a past injury. She climbed to sixth after the initial run and further advanced in the final run, showcasing a confidence-boosting performance.
Canadian skier Val Grenier launched her season with an 11th-place finish. Shiffrin, who suffered post-traumatic stress disorder after a crash in November, mentioned her progress towards full recovery and the importance of regaining a race mentality.
In the men’s category, a giant slalom event is set to take place on the same hill the following day.
