On December 20, 2008, the then 17-year-old Lara Gut-Behrami won her first World Cup race in St. Moritz. 16 years later, she is still one of the crème de la crème, finishing second at the same venue.
"I made a mistake and it cost me quite a lot. I pushed on the wave and it spiked me off," says Lara Gut-Behrami, analyzing her run. For the most part, however, she managed to ski the way she had intended. "I hope I can ski like that again tomorrow." And even though another super-G is on the program, the 33-year-old says: "Tomorrow will be a completely different day, a completely different race."
Because the sunshine is likely to fade by then, making the whole thing even more challenging. "We know that when the weather is bad here, you don't see much. It takes a lot of work to be able to ride consistently. Over the last few months, I've gone the extra mile to make sure I'm pain-free again."
Gut-Behrami will certainly not be lacking in self-confidence. In the first three speed races of the season, last season's overall World Cup winner has always raced to the podium. She is stable on the skis and can accelerate well. "I've been able to ski the way I want to in the last three races."
Lindsey Vonn also caused a stir in St. Moritz, finishing 14th in her comeback after a 5-year absence at the age of 40. "I felt good, but there's still a lot more in it. I wanted to finish with a solid result and not take too many risks," said Vonn.
