In a thrilling display of talent and determination, Julia Scheib clinched her third World Cup giant slalom victory of the season on January 6, 2025, in Semmering, Austria. The Austrian athlete triumphed on her home snow, leading her to the top of the discipline standings just weeks ahead of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. Scheib finished the race in a time that bested Camille Rast of Switzerland by 0.14 seconds, with Sara Hector, the reigning Olympic champion from Sweden, trailing by 0.40 seconds.
The atmosphere was electric as Scheib skied down the course, with a supportive home crowd cheering her on. “It’s crazy, I never thought it would be the win. It was so tough, it was so bumpy, and I was so relieved when I came into the finish,” said Scheib, who had been just two-hundredths of a second behind Hector after her opening run.
In the final run, Scheib found herself trailing Rast until the last split, where she executed a flawless finish. “It’s amazing. I heard the crowd before I skied into the last section, and I thought I had to let the skis go,” she added.
Key Competitors and Shiffrin’s Struggles
Alice Robinson, one of Scheib’s main competitors in giant slalom, faced an unfortunate setback. The New Zealand skier, who had clocked the fastest intermediate time in the opening run, lost her balance and skied out, ultimately leaving her without any points. “I got unlucky and off balance and I pressured in a bad spot and just went face flat,” Robinson expressed, highlighting her disappointment.
Meanwhile, American star Mikaela Shiffrin, the record holder for the most giant slalom victories with 22, finished in sixth place, 1.45 seconds behind Scheib. This race marked her tenth consecutive event without a podium finish in giant slalom, the longest drought of her career since her early years. Despite dominating in slalom with four wins this season, Shiffrin is still working to regain her form in giant slalom following a severe injury sustained in a crash in Killington, Vermont, over a year ago.
Both of Shiffrin’s teammates, Nina O’Brien and Paula Moltzan, experienced crashes during the event but fortunately avoided serious injuries. O’Brien skied out in the first run, while Moltzan fell in the second run but seemed to recover quickly.
Austrian Team’s Resurgence and Olympic Aspirations
The victory in Semmering not only marks a significant achievement for Scheib but also signifies a remarkable turnaround for the Austrian women’s ski team, which had not seen a World Cup giant slalom win in over nine years prior to last October. Scheib’s win at the season-opening race in Austria, followed by another victory in Tremblant, Quebec, has established her as a strong contender for Olympic glory.
“I want to continue like this, but I also want to focus a little bit on super-G,” Scheib stated, reflecting her ambitions for the upcoming Olympic events.
As for Hector, she was eager to break a nearly year-long winning drought, having not secured a victory since January of the previous year. “Julia skied really well; I stepped on the brakes a little bit, and you cannot do that,” Hector noted, acknowledging Scheib’s impressive performance.
With the Winter Olympics approaching, the excitement surrounding the ski season is palpable, and the upcoming slalom event on the same hill promises to deliver more thrilling action for fans and athletes alike.
