Ariane Rädler (0.53) came eighth as the second-best Austrian, Cortina winner Stephanie Venier had to accept a setback in tenth place in high temperatures, Mirjam Puchner ended up in 15th place (0.99). Christine Scheyer clinched two more World Cup points in 29th place (+2.10). Sabrina Maier took 25th place (+1.55). Michaela Heider, Ricarda Haaser, Emily Schöpf, Franziska Gritsch, Christina Ager and Nadine Fest ended up outside the top 30.
Two years after her serious fall during the finish jump, Hütter was able to reconcile herself with the Mont Lachaux slope. “Two years ago my career was on the rocks here, it was tougher than I thought. But I checked it, even though I was a little uneasy when I looked at it. The fact that the goal was moved up suited me and I preferred it,” said Hütter, who suffered a traumatic brain injury at the time, in an ORF interview.
The victory ride of Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI)
The Swiss Lara Gut-Behrami won the downhill race in Crans-Montana on Friday.
A second descent will take place on Saturday (from 10.10 a.m., live on ORF1, race starts at 10.30 a.m.), the Speed Triple concludes a Super-G on Sunday (from 10.15 a.m., live on ORF1, race starts at 10.30 a.m.).
Gut-Behrami expands overall lead
Due to spring-like temperatures – there was no frost at night – the race management had to intervene and moved the finish line up four gates. Gut-Behrami got along best on the soft slope on Mont Lachaux, the venue for the next ski world championship in 2027, and celebrated her fourth World Cup victory in a row, her 44th in her career. In the overall World Cup, she is now 105 points ahead of Mikaela Shiffrin, who is missing due to injury.
GEPA/Mario Buehner-Weinrauch The overall World Cup leader Gut-Behrami lived up to her role as favorite
“It wasn’t an easy day, the conditions were difficult. It didn’t feel nice, but I gave it my all. I’m not an expert on soft snow, so I had to change my plan and skied differently than I had planned when I visited. I’ll do my best tomorrow too, but today I noticed how little it takes to get away,” explained a humble Gut-Behrami after her first downhill victory of the season.
The Swiss has already won the overall World Cup once, and eight years later it looks good that she will repeat this coup. “At the moment I’m completely on the road, but you can only win one race a day. I take it day by day and am happy to reach the finish line healthy. The balls will be awarded in Saalbach.”
Setback for Venier
In the downhill ranking, Sofia Goggia, who had to end her season early, is only 41 points ahead of Gut-Behrami, Venier fell back to third place and is now 63 points behind the Italian. Hütter is 14 more points behind in fourth place.
“I had two or three hooks too many, which is just too much for such a short run. It wasn’t so much a line problem, I wasn’t positioned correctly with my upper body. We know the conditions here and just have to adapt to them,” said Venier afterwards.
Rädler had more reason to be happy than eighth. “The ride was okay, I felt like I was a little too round. That may have cost something. Top ten placements confirm my path, of course I want to move forward, but it can only be done step by step.” The next chance comes on Saturday, when the third last descent of the season is on the program. There are two more runs this year in Kvitfjell and Saalbach-Hinterglemm.
