After a slow start to the season in Levi, Camille Rast and Wendy Holdener hit back in the Gurgl slalom and impress with strong runs. Rast's relief is particularly noticeable.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Swiss-Ski celebrates its first podium finish in the second slalom of the season: Camille Rast finishes in third place behind Mikaela Shiffrin and Lara Colturi.
- Rast's relief is clear to see after the race. Nevertheless, she wants more - and gives dominator Mikaela Shiffrin a run for her money in the finish area.
- Wendy Holdener finishes just off the podium. The 32-year-old is satisfied with her performance - and emphasizes after the race that she found the criticism after the season opener in Levi a little too extreme.
Last weekend, the Swiss women were not quite able to keep up with the fastest racers at the slalom opener in Levi. Holdener lost over three seconds to the winner Shiffrin in Finland and finished in 8th place, while Rast finished in 15th place. But the Swiss duo were not deterred by this - and struck back on Sunday with 3rd and 4th place in Gurgl.
"Last week you looked at the whole thing a bit complicated. It was the start of the season, you can make mistakes," said fourth-placed Holdener after the race, addressing what she felt was a little too harsh criticism and clarifying: "We all knew that we weren't out of our depth. It's also always difficult to be at the start and find the right attitude and perform to the point."
Holdener managed to do just that in Gurgl with a strong fourth place, even if she says: "It wasn't quite the playful performance I had hoped for or wanted."
Rast's challenge to Shiffrin
Camille Rast fared even better, even making it onto the podium. And this despite the fact that the 26-year-old is still struggling with pain in her hip. "I've come a long way with my hip. I'm super proud that I was able to get two good runs down today," said a delighted Rast about her third place finish.
Victory, on the other hand, seems out of reach, as it did in Levi. The reason for this is Mikaela Shiffrin, who is in excellent form and once again distanced the entire competition by more than a second. Is the US American even beatable like this?
"It's not impossible. I set the best time on the steep slope in Levi and here. There are sections where I can ski as fast as Mikaela," says Rast confidently and gives Shiffrin a run for her money: "Now I just have to ski as fast from top to bottom and over two runs so that I can be at the top. I'm working on it, the season is still long."
