‘Perfect’ Rast dominates women’s Slalom to claim stunning first World gold

From the second she left the gate in run one to the instant she crossed the finish line as world champion, Camille Rast (SUI/Head) ruled the women’s Slalom in Saalbach on Saturday.

A lightening opening effort – described by rival Katharina Truppe (AUT/Vöckli) as a “perfect run” – gave the Swiss star a significant 0.58-second lead over the field. And, despite the fact she had never previously finished higher than eighth in six individual races spread across four world championships, a relaxed Rast simply powered away to grab her first major title.

It is a first Swiss triumph in the women’s Slalom since Vreni Schneider triumphed in 1991 on the same Saalbach slope.

There were more Swiss smiles in the famous Austrian resort too, with a typically charging second run delivering Rast’s teammate Wendy Holdener the silver (+0.46 seconds behind). It marks an eighth world championship medal for the 31-year-old, and a first-ever Swiss one-two in the event.

After Mikaela Shiffrin (USA/Atomic) fell just short of grabbing a seventh successive Slalom medal, which would have made her the most successful world championship skier ever, local favourite Katharina Liensberger (AUT/Rossignol) gave yet another capacity crowd plenty to cheer about.

Second to Rast after a superb opening run, Liensberger held her nerve in her home resort to grab bronze. Just.

Two days after denying Thea Louise Stjernesund (NOR/Rossignol) a Giant Slalom bronze by 0.01 seconds, Paula Moltzan (USA/Rossignol) fell the wrong side of the clock this time, ending two-hundreths of a second behind Liensberger. Shiffrin was a further five-hundredths back, in fifth.

‘Wow’ says new champion Rast

It has been quite a journey to the top for Rast. After making her World Cup debut in 2016, it took until the start of this season for her to secure her first top-three finish. But finally fully healthy after years of struggling with injury and sickness, Rast has made up for lost time.

Two third-place finishes and two victories sent her to Saalbach as this season’s No.1 Slalom skier. And on a glorious, sun-kissed day, she proved those rankings to be absolutely correct.

“It's just crazy, I'm so happy,” the smiling champion said. “I had a lot of fun skiing the first run, and I was down and I checked the time, and ‘wow’. I didn't expect it.

“And the second one was quite the same. But yeah, I think the key today for me was having a lot of fun.”

That first run did undoubtedly lay the platform for victory. Not only was Rast more than half-a-second ahead, but she and the rest of the top-four had also given themselves a vast 1.55-second advantage over the field. That included Zrinka Ljutic (CRO/Atomic). The Croatian, who had won three of the four World Cups leading into Saalbach, was never able to recover from an error-ridden first effort and ended ninth.

“World Championships are a one-day race, you have to give it your all and yeah, I gave everything I had,” Rast said of her approach.

Remarkably, the 25-year-old managed to maintain this carefree attitude throughout.

High emotions for Holdener

Holdener could only stand and admire.

“She had an amazing first run… she skied amazing, she deserved that win a lot,” Holdener said of Rast. “So, all good. I'm happy I can celebrate with my teammate and hear the (Swiss) anthem.”

The Head skier is well used to climbing onto a world championship podium, with her record now reading three golds and six silvers. But a first Slalom medal since 2019 was particularly special.

“I guess I am proud of myself, with my mind being on Kevin,” Holdener said, referring to her brother and coach, who passed away last year after a battle with cancer. “I asked him for help. He was with me for sure and I am sad that he can’t celebrate with us.”

Holdener did have more than 50 family and friends watching on as she claimed a third silver of these Championships in great style.

“I’m happy with my second place, I wanted to end these two weeks on a high because last world champ Slaloms weren't always good,” she said. “I knew I'm in good shape, but I had troubles. At the beginning of this season. I couldn't sleep before the races and stuff like this, so it was a tough start.

“It's amazing how this season turned out, or these World Champs actually, with three medals.”

Liensberger stands up to pressure

The expectation on all top racers in Saalbach is considerable but perhaps none have it quite like the hometown heroes. And for Liensberger, after a string of near misses this season on the World Cup circuit, the spotlight was intense.

Her first run exploits only increased the sense of anticipation.

“Yeah it’s not easy,” the Austrian said. “I was standing at the start (of her second run) and I saw all the people in the finish here, and I felt like, ‘OK, it's my moment and I will just do my best and see how it goes’. To finish and have this medal here, it's relief.

“Maybe I could have done some gates better, but all in all, I was just doing my best out there, and that it was good enough for this bronze medallist is just unbelievable.

“At the beginning of these World Championships I knew I could do it, but you can’t just say ‘let’s go’. A lot of things have to fit together.”

‘A huge step forwards’ for Shiffrin

For once at these Championships, things did not quite fall for the USA women’s team. After securing four medals, Moltzan and Shiffrin finished a combined 0.07 seconds off the podium. But for both, that was OK.

A third fourth place finish in Saalbach might have left some thinking of what ifs, but for Moltzan a first ever major individual medal is ample recompense.

While for Shiffrin, Team Combined gold and fifth in the Slalom represents major progress in her on-going recovery from injury and trauma.  

“I guess I would say today was just right in line with my expectations,” the four-time Slalom world champion said. “What I would say is it's a strange place to be returning from an injury, from surgery eight weeks ago. From laying in bed with a drainage tube six weeks ago. To return mid-season, kind of in the middle of World Championships, where everybody is talking about the medals, and all the other athletes are fighting and on their top form, and I'm trying to figure out where I even stand in the sport.

“That's been maybe one of the biggest learning experiences of my career, and I think it will continue through the end of the season. But for now, this was a huge step forwards.

“There’s a vibe to my top, top Slalom skiing and I'm just not quite able to touch it consistently right now. But I have turns of it, and I have sections that feel great, and that's so wonderful. And I think the next step is time and it's training and trying to figure out how to connect the consistency and sections together.”