KRANJSKA GORA, Slovenia (AP) — Croatian skier Zrinka Ljutic celebrated her second consecutive World Cup victory by winning the women's slalom at Kranjska Gora on January 7, 2024, extending her lead significantly in the standings. Just one week after clinching her first title at Semmering, Austria, the 20-year-old Ljutic showcased remarkable talent, finishing with the fastest time over two runs.
Ljutic matched the pace of Switzerland's Wendy Holdener during the first run, but triumphed by clocking 0.16 seconds faster than Holdener during the second. Reflecting on her performance, Ljutic said, "I didn’t know how Wendy, how well she skied. I just had my own sort of idea and I was really focusing on myself. I kind of decided the tempo of the course of the run, how I want to ski. And I really tried to stick to it, and I made it, it was enough. So, that's evenbetter."
With this victory, Ljutic took the lead with 309 points in the discipline standings, now four points clear of Camille Rast of Switzerland, who finished fourth at Kranjska Gora. Notably, former champion Mikaela Shiffrin, who previously dominated the sport, was absent due to recovery from abdominal surgery. Shiffrin's injury allowed room for Ljutic to rise through the ranks.
Anna Swenn-Larsson from Sweden rounded out the podium, finishing third with a gap of 1.19 seconds behind Ljutic. "Especially now after this nice result in Semmering, I really had a big appetite; I obviously wanted to repeat it, and I felt powerful and dominant," Ljutic expressed, citing her recent win as fueling her determination to excel again.
Defending champion Shiffrin had been recovering from injuries sustained from a crash during the giant slalom on November 30, 2023, at Killington. Shiffrin's absence has opened up opportunities for other skiers, as seen with Holdener's near miss for her first win since 2021.
Holdener, finishing second by only 0.16 seconds, expressed her satisfaction with her performance: "When I saw the time at the finish, I thought it could be enough. I’ll take this result, especially since I felt bad skiing." Her strong showing echoed the success of the Swiss team overall, which had three skiers place within the top five, highlighting their consistency this season.
The Swiss team, which included Rast and Mélanie Meillard just behind Holdener, looks strong as they challenged Ljutic’s rising star. Meanwhile, Ljutic also leads the overall World Cup standings with 456 points, nine points clear of Sara Hector, who finished sixth at the event after her victory the day before.
Ljutic's momentum this season reflects her potential to follow in the footsteps of fellow Croatian great Janica Kostelic. With her birthday approaching later this month, Ljutic is on the cusp of solidifying her status among the top slalom skiers. "It’s incredible; I’m so happy. My grandma is here, nearly everyone could come. When I ski well, it’s like a dream," she remarked, illustrating the emotional side of her success.
This slalom victory at Kranjska Gora has not only solidified Ljutic's place among the elite but also raised expectations for her as she continues to confront Olympic icons like Shiffrin and Petra Vlhova. The next slalom competition is set for the popular Nightrace event at Flachau on January 14, 2024, where Ljutic aims to maintain her lead and build on her impressive season.
With each race, Ljutic demonstrates her skills and resilience on the slopes, marking her as one of the standout athletes this season and earning the respect of fans and competitors alike.