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Swiss women are left without a medal in the parallel event of the World Ski Championships in Cortina. Wendy Holdener fails in the quarterfinals. The gold goes to local heroine Marta Bassino and Katharina Liensberger (AUT).
The podium
- Marta Bassino (ITA)
- 1. Katharina Liensberger (AUT)
- Tessa Worley (FRA)
The world championship premiere in the individual side race in Cortina sparked two world champions and several discussions. Italian Marta Bassino was exactly as fast in the last passes as Katharina Liensberger of Austria. Since the Italian director initially only faded into Bassino as the winner, viewers and apparently also Liensberger only realized after a while that two gold medals would be awarded in this very special race.
The format raises questions
However, the format provided fuel. In the four quarter-finals, the poorest-rated “outsider” qualified three times. Only Liensberger managed to reach the semi-finals and then even the final despite the slower repetition on the blue field. Fifteenth in the standings, Bassino barely made it to the final of the top 16.
In the small final, the French Tessa Worley did not give the American Paula Moltzan a chance and took the bronze. For the 31-year-old it is already the fifth medal in world championships.
Holdener is a victim of circumstance
Wendy Holdener was unable to intervene in the battle for the medals. After the Swiss dominated the last 16 hurdles against the American Nina O’Brien, Holdener had to admit defeat to O’Brien’s compatriot Moltzan in the quarter-finals. The 27-year-old was 0.36 seconds behind her opponent.
By morning Holdener was in a class of his own in qualifying. Instead of being an advantage, the best time in the final turned out to be a disadvantage. Why? As the qualifying winner, Holdener had to go first in the red field and could not get more than the maximum advantage of 0.50 seconds. While the cushion was enough in the second round, the reserve was no longer enough in the quarterfinals.
The other Swiss women
- Out in der Quali: Lara Gut-Behrami
- Out in der Quali: Camille Rast
- Out in der Quali: Jasmina Suter
This is how it continues in the World Cup
The next side event is already scheduled in Cortina on Wednesday. Unlike Tuesday, the athletes will fight as a team for gold, silver and bronze. Switzerland joins the competition as defending champion. In 2019 the quartet with Aline Danioth, Wendy Holdener, Daniel Yule and Ramon Zenhäusern triumphed ahead of Austria and Italy.
The women then continue with the giant slalom on Thursday without a break. The last medals of the Women’s World Championship will be awarded on Saturday in the slalom.
