Vlhova Dominates Slalom in Levi, Shiffrin Misses Podium

Halfway through the stint in the Finnish station north of the Arctic Circle, there were many signs that there would be a three-way battle for victory. Vlhova, the German Lena Dürr and the American Mikaela Shiffrin were within four tenths of a second and thus well ahead of the other drivers. In the second round, Vlhova went one better. The Olympic champion again set the best time and was 1.41 seconds ahead of Dürr in the end.

Vlhova won a slalom in Levi for the sixth time, catching up with record holder Shiffrin. The American missed the podium this time. In the decision she fell behind the Austrian Katharina Liensberger in fourth place.

Meillard, who started the race with number 30, took another step on her long, arduous road back from the serious knee injury she suffered almost five years ago in the run-up to the Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The Neuchâtel resident, who lives in Valais, continued in the slalom where she left off last season. Last March she also took 7th place in Are in Sweden.

Wendy Holdener gained five places in the second round, but she couldn’t avert disappointment. For the first time in almost eight years, the Schwyz native missed a place in the top ten in a World Cup slalom. In Levi she had managed to place in the top seven without exception in the last ten races.

Camille Rast and Michelle Gisin took the opposite route in Levi. The woman from Valais and Obwalden fell five positions down to places 18 and 21 respectively in the final.