Exactly ten years ago, Slovakian skier Petra Vlhová completed her first World Cup race.
Photo: TASR, Martin Baumann
Slovak flags in Semmering.
In Semmering, Austria, she finished eleventh in the slalom, having improved five places since the first round.
The 2020/2021 Grand Globe winner and Beijing 2022 Olympic champion finished fourth in the same event on Thursday, 76 cents behind the winner and her longtime rival Mikaela Shiffrin.
“Ten years have passed like water and many things have changed. Specifically, me as a person and in sporting terms. I have already achieved a lot and I am really proud of my achievements. And I’m not done yet,” Vlhová said on Wednesday in anniversary occasion.
Read more Ultimate escape from Vlhova? Shiffrin cried after the miracle
Since then she has started nine more times in the Austrian resort, in the 2018/2019 season she won the giant slalom (2018) and added second place in the slalom the day after. She also came second in “Obrak” on Tuesday.
“There is so much work and sacrifice behind it. When one realizes it, it is unreal what our team was able to do in such conditions. Especially Peta,” said team manager Boris Vlha after the giant slalom in Wednesday.
He still remembers his sister’s first race: “They are beautiful memories. In the second round I was at the starting line and there were names that until then I had only seen on TV. Exceptional.”
Read also A hat-trick and a jubilee for Shiffrin. Vlhova narrowly missed out on the podium
The skier herself did not exactly remember the slalom from ten years ago.
“It was a long time ago. There’s always stress and it was definitely there, at the first SP match. However, I’m happy that I was able to score at that time,” Vlhová described her feelings.
Shiffrin was also at the starting line, but didn’t finish the second round.
“I didn’t know about this anniversary and it’s quite good. It’s not easy for an American woman to reach the top, but I can imagine it’s even more difficult for a Slovakian woman. What she managed to do and how fans support her , even here in Semmering, is something incredible,” said the American skier on the occasion of the anniversary.
Read also The best ski boots of the decade: Vlhová stands tall, a few stars ahead of her
In his words, he still fails to appreciate the value of his rivalry with Vlhová:
“We basically just ski here. We put a lot of energy into it and it’s hard to say how special this rivalry is. Maybe I’ll realize that in 50 years.
It’s not easy for us to always be on top, thanks to Petra I’ve improved in my career and I’ve gone to the limit when I thought I couldn’t go any further.”
Petra Vlhová and her schedule in the 2022/23 season
| The date of the event | Place and discipline | Location of Vlhova |
| October 22nd | Sölden – giant slalom | canceled |
| November 5th | Zermatt/Cervinia – exit | canceled |
| November 6th | Zermatt/Cervinia – exit | canceled |
| November 12th | Lech Zürs – parallel slalom | canceled |
| November 19th | Left – slalom | 3rd place |
| November 20th | Left – slalom | 3rd place |
| November 26th | Killington – giant slalom | 4th place |
| November 27th | Killington – slalom | 4th place |
| December 2nd | Lake Louise – exit | it hasn’t started |
| December 3rd | Lake Louise – exit | it hasn’t started |
| December 4th | Lake Louise – super-G | it hasn’t started |
| December 10th | Sisters – giant slalom | 3rd place |
| December 11th | Sestriere – slalom | 3rd place |
| December 16th | st. Moritz – get out | it hasn’t started |
| December 17th | st. Moritz – get out | she didn’t finish |
| December 18th | St. Moritz – super G | she didn’t finish |
| December 27th | Semmering – giant slalom (substitute for Sölden) | 2nd place |
| December 28th | Semmering – giant slalom | 7th place |
| December 29th | Semmering – slalom | 4th place |
| January 4th | Zagreb – slalom | |
| January 5th | Zagreb – slalom | |
| January 7th | Kranjska Gora – giant slalom | |
| January 8th | Kranjska Gora – giant slalom | |
| January 10th | Flachau – slalom | |
| January 14th | st. Anton – get out | |
| January 15th | Sant’Antonio – superG | |
| 20 th January | Cortina d’Ampezzo – super G | |
| January 21st | Cortina d’Ampezzo – exit | |
| January 22nd | Cortina d’Ampezzo – super G | |
| January 24th | Plan de Corones – giant slalom | |
| January 28th | Špindlerův Mlýn – giant slalom | |
| January 29th | Špindlerův Mlýn – slalom | |
| February 6th | WC in Courchevel and Méribel – combination | |
| February 8th | MS vs Courcheveli in Méribeli – super G | |
| February 11th | WC in Courchevel and Méribel – downhill | |
| February 14th | WC in Courchevel and Méribel – parallel slalom | |
| February 15th | WC in Courchevel and Méribel – team competition | |
| February 16th | WC in Courchevel and Méribel – giant slalom | |
| February 18th | WC in Courchevel and Méribel – slalom | |
| February 25th | Crans Montana – exit | |
| February 26th | Crans Montana – super-G | |
| 3. brand | Kvitfjell – SuperG | |
| 4. brand | Kvitfjell-zjazd | |
| 5. brand | Kvitfjell – SuperG | |
| 10. brand | I am – giant slalom | |
| 11. brand | Ares – slalom | |
| 15. brand | WC Final in Soldeu – downhill | |
| 16. brand | Final SP-Soldeu – super G | |
| 17. brand | SP Finals in Soldeu – team competition | |
| 18. brand | WC Final in Soldeu – slalom | |
| 19. brand | WC Final in Soldeu – giant slalom |
SP Overall Ranking (15): 1. Shiffrinová 875, 2. VLHOVA 506, 3. Goggiová 470, 4. Holdenerová 445, 5. Gutová-Behramiová 371, 6. Suterová 337
Vote in slalom (5): 1. Shiffrin 425, 2. Holdener 370, 3. VLHOVA 280, 4. Swennová-Larssonová 260, 5. Dürrová 195, 6. Aronssonová Elfmanová 156
The evaluation in fig. slalom (4): 1. Bassinová 300 points, 2. Shiffrinová 260, 3. Gutová-Behramiová 252, 4. VLHOVA 226, 5. Brignonová 174, 6. Hectorová 172
Mark in super G (2): 1. Curtoniová 120, 2. Suterová 116, 3. Shiffrinová 100, 4. Mowinckelová 100, 5. Goggiová 90, 6. Pucherová 86
Evaluation in the convention (4): 1. Goggiová 380 points, 2. Suterová 218, 3. Štuhecová 192, 4. Curtoniová 186, 5. Ortliebová 178, 6. Puchnerová 145
