Magnificent debut victory

ÖSV talent delivers a sensational comeback

Victoria Olivier from Vorarlberg grabs her first European Cup victory in Hippach.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Austria's young giant slalom talent continues to make extremely positive headlines. After Viktoria Bürgler from Salzburg recently won her first European Cup giant slalom in Zinal (Sz), a young ÖSV lady struck again at her home race in Hippach and celebrated her first EC victory.

Hippach is really good ground for Victoria Olivier! Last year, the 20-year-old from Vorarlberg achieved her best European Cup result until Saturday with fourth place. This time, however, after the first run, it didn't look as if the head skier would be able to compete at the top again. 

Suboptimal start, huge improvement
After a mixed start section, "Vici" was only in 29th place at intermediate time one. In the second section of the course, however, the reigning junior downhill world champion proved that she was in good form. She crossed the finish line 1.15 seconds behind her ÖSV team colleague Viktoria Bürgler, who was by far the fastest.
In the final, the athlete from the Bregenzerwald was wide awake from the very first gate and proved her ambitions for a top place with the third-best time in the upper section. She then delivered an unleashed run in the final section and, with a total time of 2:11.07 minutes, relegated the Frenchwoman Lois Abouly, who had been leading until then, to second place by 1.10 seconds.

17 places made up
After one competitor after the other had their teeth bitten out by Olivier's time - the World Cup-proven Katharina Truppe was the only one to come within 22 hundredths of her - the Stams graduate climbed up the rankings place by place. When Finland's Erika Pykalainen also failed to beat Vici's time, her first EC podium place was secured and when half-time leader Bürgler also lost over two seconds and dropped to 18th place, her first EC triumph in her 37th appearance was perfect. Second place went to Switzerland's Vanessa Kapser (+0.20), third place went to Truppe.

Pure relief and great joy
"This victory means a lot to me right now, because I've been in a bit of a rut recently and I didn't know why things weren't going well," said a visibly moved Olivier at the finish. "The fact that I got it down here in the second run is pure relief for me and I'm brutally happy."