Sara Hector finished fourth in the alpine skiing World Cup giant slalom season opener in Sölden, Austria, on Saturday, October 24, 2026, after losing her early podium position during a second run affected by heavy snowfall, svt.se reported. The 34-year-old Swedish star sat in second place after the opening run, trailing dominator Mikaela Shiffrin by just 14 hundredths of a second, before dropping off the pace high up the Rettenbach glacier course.
Weather Shifts Alter Sölden Podium in Season Opener
A heavy snowfall swept across the Austrian venue, slowing the course and neutralizing the advantages built during the morning session. Albania’s Lara Colturi finished second, while German-Swedish racer Emma Aicher claimed third place. For home hope Julia Scheib, the race ended immediately as she skied out right away.
Shiffrin Slips as Swedish Field Completes Season Debut
Mikaela Shiffrin struggled as the last skier down the course in the second run, ultimately dropping to seventh place overall behind Hector in fourth, svt.se reported. Estelle Alphand delivered a strong initial run before losing ground near the finish of her second descent to place 12th. Hilma Lövblom finished 15th, and Hanna Aronsson Elfman took 19th position. Meanwhile, 22-year-old Sophie Nyberg missed the top-30 qualification cutoff for the second run by less than half a second in just her second career World Cup start.
Cornelia Öhlund Returns to Action Following Pre-Season Crash
Cornelia Öhlund returned to the starting gate just nine days after sustaining a concussion in a dramatic pre-season training crash, svt.se reported. The 21-year-old skier, who nearly secured a surprise medal in the slalom at the Olympics in February, failed to finish after skiing out roughly halfway down the Rettenbach glacier course.
Men's Giant Slalom Takes Place Sunday in Sölden
The Sölden race weekend continues on Sunday, October 25, with the men’s giant slalom event scheduled for 10:00 and 13:00, as reported by Dagens Nyheter. The broadcast coverage for the opening weekend is carried by Viaplay.
