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Alpine ski
Katharina Liensberger narrowly missed her first World Cup victory on Tuesday. The 23-year-old from Vorarlberg had to admit defeat to Switzerland’s Michelle Gisin by 0.11 seconds in a thrilling slalom decision in Semmering. The 27-year-old secured the first slalom victory for Swiss women in 18 years. Mikaela Shiffrin came in third place.
The American was still in the lead after the first round, but fell back in the decision to third place (+0.57) and thus missed the chance for her first slalom win in a year. After five successes in a row, Petra Vlhova finished in fourth place, 1.36 seconds behind. For the first time after 28 slaloms, the winner is neither Shiffrin nor Vlhova.
The second best Austrian in Semmering was Katharina Truppe. The 24-year-old Carinthian fell from fourth to sixth place (1.56) in the second round, but was back in the top seven in the third slalom of the season. Katharina Huber improved ten places and came tenth (3.14). Chiara Mair finished in twelfth place (3.26), Katharina Gallhuber finished in 26th place (5.04) after a second failed race.
1. Michelle Gisin (SUI)
2. Katharina Liensberger (NEITHER)
3. Mikaela Shiffrin (United States)
Second place as a victory felt
For Liensberger, the first World Cup victory was within reach. The Vorarlberg driver, who was third after the first race, had a sensational second race under the floodlights and it took 1.25 seconds from Vlhova, who was leading at the time. In the end, the best time was not enough to get on the podium. After two third places in Levi, the Vorarlberg native landed on the podium for the third time.
“It is not a first place, but it feels like one. I’m so happy. The president (Peter Schröcksnadel, note) told me at halftime that I should drive with my heart, I did it and it felt good. It wasn’t just for the tracks, you had to push yourself to the limit, Gisin did a great job too. There were a lot of great performances, I’m super happy, ”Liensberger said in an interview with ORF.
