"I didn't expect it" Gut-Behrami sets an exclamation mark with best time in first World Championship training session

Sandro Zappella

4.2.2025

Lara Gut-Behrami put in a strong first training run.
Lara Gut-Behrami put in a strong first training run.
KEYSTONE

Lara Gut-Behrami put in a strong performance in the first training session for the World Championship downhill in Saalbach. The skier from Ticino set the best time, only 0.05 seconds behind her was the American Breezy Johnson.

Lara Gut-Behrami put in a strong performance in the first training run for the World Championship downhill in Saalbach-Hinterglemm. The Swiss racer finished with the best time, but was only 0.05 seconds faster than Breezy Johnson from the USA. In the ORF interview at the finish Gut-Behrami said: "I didn't expect to feel so good today." The skier from Ticino explained that there were some built-in waves in the lower section, something that doesn't suit her particularly well: "It's not normally my strong point."

Gut-Behrami's biggest downhill rivals are likely to be the two Italians Federica Brignone and Sofia Goggia. Both put in a solid training run. Brignone came third (0.63 seconds behind), Goggia fifth (0.79).

Priska Ming-Nufer was the second-best Swiss skier in the first training run, finishing a strong eighth 1.62 seconds behind.

The other Swiss skiers Malorie Blanc, Corinne Suter and Michelle Gisin lost around two seconds on Gut-Behrami's best time.

The ranking list for the first training run

  • 1st Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI), 1:43.92
  • 2. Breezy Johnson (USA) + 0.05
  • 3rd Federica Brignone (ITA) + 0.63
  • 8th Priska Ming-Nufer (SUI) + 1.62
  • 15th Malorie Blanc (SUI) + 1.91
  • 16th Corinne Suter (SUI), +1.95
  • 17th Michelle Gisin (SUI), + 2.12

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