Speed specialist Siebenhofer also in GS top ten
In the ladies' race it was Styrian athlete Siebenhofer who skied the third fastest time in the second run to take her from 27th to tenth place – in what was her first World Cup Giant Slalom race since January 2016. "Old love never dies, this discipline is sort of in my heart," said the cheerful 28-year-old. Carinthian racer Katharina Truppe was the second Fischer Race Family athlete to pick up points, finishing 19th overall.
There was also praise for Siebenhofer from the new women's head coach Christian Mitter. "Adding a tenth place in GS to two victories in Downhill shows what a talented skier she is." Siebenhofer herself took many positives away from her performance. "I've now got the nervousness of the first race of the season out of the way and am a little further than the others," she said, with a grin on her face. She has no ambitions, however, of now also competing in the Giant Slalom in Killington.
"I have in fact recently had three weeks of Giant Slalom training. But that was mainly because the training for this central basic turn is different when you are also going to take part in a race. I now want to concentrate on the long skis again," said Siebenhofer, already looking ahead to Lake Louise and the USA training.
ÖSV team colleague Katharina Truppe has to be satisfied with rank 19 after a solid 1st run.
Leitinger rewards himself, Brennsteiner unfortunately misses out
Roland Leitinger also had a successful start to the season. Following a so-so comeback season in the previous year, the runner-up world champion of 2017 went into the race with a high bib number (53) and showed what he is capable of in good conditions with the second fastest time in the second run. Thanks to the encouraging result the Tyrolean will also improve his position slightly in the ranking – one of his main goals for the first half of the season. "A first step in the right direction, Leitinger knew.
Stefan Brennsteiner underscored his strong performances in training with seventh place in the first run. Any hopes of a top place in the deciding run quickly disappeared, however, after a mistake in the top section of the course. "It was quite fast at that point and my inside ski hit a bump," said the skier from Salzburg, annoyed about skiing out but already looking ahead. "I'm a fighter and will carry on. It will pay off for me at some point."
Besides Leitinger, South Tyrolean racer Manfred Mölgg (20th) and Swiss skier Thomas Tumler (22nd) also finished among the points in Sölden. Including Sunday’s Giant Slalom Mölgg competed in 300 World Cup races now.
