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Lara Gut-Behrami in Saalbach
Photo: Leonhard Foeger / REUTERS
In a thrilling final race of the Alpine ski winter, the Austrian Cornelia Hütter snatched a fourth World Cup globe from the Swiss Lara Gut-Behrami, which seemed already certain. In the last descent of the season, the 31-year-old achieved the sixth victory of her career and turned a 72-point deficit over the season's dominator into a lead of 28 points in the discipline rankings.
In front of an enthusiastic audience at the World Cup final in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, Hütter benefited not least from Gut-Behrami's worst placement of the season. The 32-year-old, who had previously secured the large crystal ball for the overall World Cup as well as the small trophies for the Super-G and giant slalom titles, only finished in 17th place. At the World Cup final, points will no longer be awarded from 16th place onwards.
Weidle comes eighth
The day before, Gut-Behrami also commented on speculation about her sporting future. There had previously been rumors that Gut-Behrami wanted to resign after this season. »I'll definitely be driving for another year. It's unlikely that I'll drive for two more seasons," the overall World Cup winner told the Swiss broadcaster SRF. »It's not easy to prepare for the Olympics. Because the Olympics always mean stress and pressure in the months before. I don't want that anymore." The next Winter Olympics will take place in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo in 2026.
Kira Weidle ended her disappointing season with an eighth place. It was only her third top ten placement in the premier alpine discipline this winter; the shifting wind prevented a better result. "It was actually a good trip, it's a shame if the weather decides," she said on ZDF. Before the coming season, she now wants to “turn over every stone.”
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