Michelle Gisin really enjoys her very last slalom. There was no last top result, but the skier from Engelberg was still satisfied after the race. The circle closes for Gisin in Flachau.
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- Camille Rast and Wendy Holdener celebrate a Swiss double victory in the night slalom in Flachau.
- Michelle Gisin is also celebrating, but for completely different reasons: She was competing in the very last slalom of her career.
- After the race, Gisin explains on SRF her decision not to compete in the slalom in future.
Michelle Gisin is beaming all over her face as she stands in the finish area after her last slalom run. It's no longer enough for a top result, Gisin finishes 23rd, but her place is definitely of secondary importance today. Particularly as the Swiss women are celebrating a double victory anyway with Camille Rast and Wendy Holdener.
"I'm incredibly grateful for everything I've been able to experience in all these years at the top of the slalom world. It's totally crazy when I think back," Gisin told SRF before the race. Shortly beforehand, she had announced that the slalom in Flachau would be the last of her career.
"Unfortunately it's no longer fast"
The circle closes for Gisin in Flachau. It was here that she finished in the top 10 for the first time. Last year she skied spectacularly to 4th place despite pole problems. Many emotions are associated with this place in Salzburgerland. That's why she wanted to experience the dernière in this discipline here too.
"It was a bit slow, so I realize that I can't do it anymore. I'm not skiing badly, but unfortunately it's no longer fast," says Gisin after the first run. After the second run, her feelings are in the foreground: "I'm very happy, relieved and grateful. It confirms to me that it was the right decision."
The 31-year-old was able to really enjoy her final performance once again. Gisin: "It was wonderful. I've never heard people cheer so well, everyone was cheering. I wanted to step on the gas again, but I just couldn't do it anymore. I need a lot more training in the slalom, it doesn't work with the other disciplines."
Looking forward to the speed races
Gisin competed in the slalom for the first time 12 years ago, today she competed in her 103rd World Cup race in this discipline. 45 times she made it into the top 10, nine times she stood on the podium and once she won. The victory in Semmering in 2020 is the only World Cup win in Gisin's career to date.
After retiring from the slalom, the two-time Olympic champion in the alpine combined (downhill and slalom) wants to concentrate on the remaining three disciplines, downhill, giant slalom and super-G. Gisin: "I'm now looking forward to the next few weeks and the speed races."
