Crans-Montana Super-G

Swiss skier Blanc celebrates at home – Rädler seventh

Malorie Blanc could hardly believe her home victory.(Bild: AP)

Home victory and maiden win for Switzerland! Malorie Blanc won her first World Cup race in the Super-G in Crans Montana on Saturday. Three Austrians made it into the top ten – led by Ariane Rädler, who finished in seventh place.

The 22-year-old Blanc relegated Italy's Sofia Goggia to second place, securing the Swiss women's first speed victory of the season in her home race in the canton of Valais. Third place on Saturday went to downhill world champion Breezy Johnson from the USA.

Malorie Blanc(Bild: EPA/ALESSANDRO DELLA VALLE)

Rädler best Austrian
Ariane Rädler (+0.61 seconds) was the best ÖSV skier in seventh place, closely followed by Cornelia Hütter (+0.64) and Mirjam Puchner (+0.72) in the top ten. Julia Scheib was even faster than Blanc in the upper section of her fourth World Cup Super-G, eventually finishing in 21st place (+1.39). Directly ahead of her was teammate Nina Ortlieb (+1.38), who was one hundredth of a second faster. Ricarda Haaser (+1.58) also earned World Cup points in 24th place, while Christina Ager, Nadine Fest, and Stephanie Brunner missed the top 30 in 33rd to 35th place.

Blanc's victory was a double consolation for the Swiss. Forty people were killed and over 100 injured in a major fire in a bar in Crans-Montana on New Year's Eve. Blanc is now the hottest property in the women's speed team, which has been weakened by injuries (including Lara Gut-Behrami) and form crises, but it was not necessarily foreseeable that the Valais native would strike at her home race of all places.

Ariane Rädler(Bild: AFP/APA/Fabrice COFFRINI)

Blanc happy about her "show"
"I'm so happy that I put on this show. It's really a gift for the people, for their support, and that means a lot to me," she said in an interview with ORF. Racing in front of her home crowd gave her a boost, Blanc explained. "I love this course, I love the people here." Her only podium finish before Saturday was second place in the downhill in St. Anton a year ago.

The result:

The Italian Laura Pirovano posed the biggest threat to her in the Olympic dress rehearsal, but she took too many risks on her way to the best time and veered off course. Goggia, who was 18 hundredths of a second off the win, lost too much ground at the top. Her compatriot Federica Brignone finished 18th in her speed comeback after a long injury break. Germany's Emma Aicher failed to finish, losing important points for the overall World Cup.

Scheib had fun
Rädler was annoyed about a somewhat cautious approach on the finish slope. "I just skied too smoothly, I could have skied much more aggressively. That's what I'm missing now," said the race's number one starter. "I know my skiing is good. At the Olympics, you just go full throttle, there's no tactics involved." Puchner said she attacked based on her feelings. "I conquered the mountain once and can travel home from Crans-Montana feeling a little better," emphasized the Salzburg native. Hütter was only "moderately" satisfied. "I chose a line that was a little too round and made a small mistake at the bottom," she analyzed.

Giant slalom ace Scheib, on the other hand, was happy despite her lack of training in super-G. "I actually felt very comfortable. I skied to the outside gate once on the flat section, which definitely cost me a few tenths of a second, and everything is very close. But it was a great step forward," said the Styrian. "There's definitely still room for improvement in terms of the line, but it takes time to assess that properly. I really enjoyed myself today."

Vonn not there
Lindsey Vonn, who is believed to have injured herself in a crash in Saturday's downhill, was not at the start house. There is still no reliable information about her condition. The 41-year-old wrote on social media that she is still fighting to compete in the Olympics in Cortina.