Pirovano back on top

Conny Hütter misses victory by one (!) hundredth of a second

Cornelia Hütter skied a superb time. But it wasn't enough for victory.(Bild: GEPA)

She was just one hundredth of a second away from victory! But Conny Hütter can still be proud. The Styrian raced to second place in the second women's downhill in Val di Fassa on Saturday – just behind Italian Laura Pirovano, who secured a double victory. Swiss athlete Corinne Suter finished in third place (+0.05).

Cornelia Hütter missed victory in the World Cup downhill in Val di Fassa by just one hundredth of a second on Saturday. As on the previous day, Italy's Laura Pirovano took first place by the narrowest of margins, securing her first World Cup victories. Switzerland's Corinne Suter finished in third place (+0.05). Four athletes, including Hütter, now still have a chance to win the downhill crystal globe in the last race of the season.

Cornelia Hütter, Laura Pirovano, and Corinne Suter (from left to right)(Bild: AFP/ANDREAS SOLARO)

"The hundredths of a second at the Olympics were on my side. You can never dwell on the hundredths of a second, they come and go as they please. That's fine," said Hütter, who finished fifth the day before after two small mistakes. "I stayed cleaner on the line, the equipment pushed me forward. I knew at the finish line that it would be hard to beat me today. It's close, but that's racing, it's fun." Second place feels good because she hasn't had the drive this season, it's always been up and down. "It's cool to be back on the podium."

Conny Hütter(Bild: GEPA)

It has clearly been Pirovano's week so far, with her first podium finishes also being victories. "Unbelievable, two wins, my first podiums and both by a hundredth of a second, that's crazy. I often wasn't so happy, but now everything has come back," said the 28-year-old.

Rädler annoyed about mistakes
Ariane Rädler was the second-best Austrian, finishing sixth again (+0.86). "Yesterday I was happy with sixth place, but today I was really annoyed about the mistake on the finish slope. You have to carry your speed with you there, and I didn't have that." Nadine Fest (19th) and Mirjam Puchner (29th) also scored points. Nina Ortlieb crashed out but was uninjured. "Nothing happened, but unfortunately it was another careless mistake, which really hurts," said the Vorarlberg native. Hütter, Ortlieb, Rädler, and Puchner will be part of the ÖSV team at the World Cup finals in the downhill.

The Downhill World Cup is tight ahead of the last race of the season. Pirovano now leads by 28 points ahead of Germany's Emma Aicher, who only finished twelfth on Saturday, 85 ahead of her compatriot Kira Weidle-Winkelmann (fifth on the day) and 92 ahead of Hütter. "There's not much left to do, but I want to end the season on a high note," said the Styrian. The injured American Lindsey Vonn lost her lead and is now third. In the overall World Cup, American Mikaela Shiffrin still has a 117-point lead over Aicher.

The result:

Super-G in Val di Fassa last speed race before the final
On Sunday, there is one more Super-G on the program to conclude the season. "I know I have everything it takes, I showed that at the Olympics. If I can execute everything as I have it in my head, then it will work out," said Hütter, the bronze medalist from Cortina. "The slope is perfect, I feel good in these conditions, I want to attack again and not hold back, just go full throttle," said Rädler.