Killington World Cup | Lara Gut-Behrami silences her detractors

Winds of almost 40 kilometers per hour did not prevent Lara Gut-Behrami from expressing herself fully. The reigning world champion in giant slalom returned to victory on Saturday in Killington, while many doubted her ability to get back on the top step of the podium. How it can pay to believe in yourself.

No one can question the undeniable talent of the 31-year-old Swiss. She leads a dream career, but it is true that she has distinguished herself more in speed than in technique in recent years. Before his victory on Saturday in Vermont, his last triumph as a giant dated back to October 2016, in Sölden.

She had nevertheless noticed a clear progression in this event over the past two seasons. “I may not have won a title, but I was improving with each race,” said the winner after the competition.

This progression reached its climax almost two years ago. At the World Championships in Cortina d’Ampezzo, she won the world title to everyone’s surprise in front of big names in technique like Mikaela Shiffrin and Katharina Liensberger. Five days earlier, she had also won gold in the Super G.

However, in Killington, a magical place of all possibilities, Gut-Behrami took advantage of a permissive track to defy all predictions. A remarkable performance, especially since it had never done better than a 19^e place on this mountain. She explained after the race that she often has trouble skiing in the wind and rarely feels good on Vermont snow.

She took the third fastest time in the first run and was in excellent position to aim for the podium. Even if Shiffrin had shot himself in the foot with a descent below his usual standards, other renowned giantists could claim the throne.

Giantists bite the dust

The atmosphere was boosted, the sun warmed the track and the route was maneuverable for the skiers at the start of the afternoon. Most of them spoke of “perfect conditions”.

Unexpected skiers like Maryna Gasienica-Daniel and Roberta Melesi set a certain standard, but in the final third of starts, the leaders came and went like Black Friday discounts.

Tessa Worley skied cleanly, but a bit too cautiously. Liensberger was more direct, favoring speed over technique. Marta Bassino was extremely fluid between the flags and she put on a flawless performance. “I tried to attack, without thinking too much. I knew that I had reacted well to training. She herself seemed to believe that she would be untouchable with the cry of satisfaction she gave at the finish.

Her turn came, Gut almost got her spatulas tangled between the first gates by bringing her balance a little too far back, but she recovered well to bring back a time of 51.36 seconds, the seventh time of the second run. Fortunately, she had reacted better on the first descent, since the two tracks were extremely different. “The first run was slower, and usually I don’t like that,” she said. I’m really proud to have been able to ski at this level in such opposite conditions. The Swiss was offensive while maintaining her usual elegance. She was the last to see her time turn green as she reached the bottom of the track.

Sara Hector, the leader after one run, collapsed and finished third.

A day to forget for Canada

Of the four Canadians who started, none qualified for the second run.

Valérie Grenier represented the best hope for the national team, but a fall in the first section of the course ended her day abruptly. It’s another tough day for the skier from Tremblant to Killington, who also crashed in 2018.

Britt Richardson missed qualifying by two hundredths of a second by finishing in 31^e rank. For her part, Quebecer Sarah Bennett took the 41^e position. It was his fourth career World Cup start.

Like Grenier, Cassidy Gray crashed on her first run.

After three completed races, it is still Mikaela Shiffrin who leads the general classification, followed by her rival Petra Vlhová and Sara Hector.

Action resumes Sunday in Killington with the presentation of the women’s slalom.