Duel with Gut-Behrami

Saalbach: Hütter already releases the handbrake

Cornelia Hütter

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Cornelia Hütter has already tested the battle line a little in the first downhill training session at the World Cup final in Saalbach-Hinterglemm. The Styrian, who is still battling for the small crystal globe in the downhill and super-G against the leading Swiss skier Lara Gut-Behrami, was half a second behind Kira Weidle from Germany in third place on Wednesday. "Today I tried to unpack a good line straight away. I managed that relatively well," said Hütter.

With 72 points behind Gut-Behrami in the downhill and 69 in the super-G, Hütter has "absolutely nothing to lose" in the grand finale. Second in training was Ariane Rädler from Vorarlberg (+0.27), seventh was Stephanie Venier (+1.17), who is also still fighting for crystal. In third place in the downhill behind the injured Sofia Goggia, the Tyrolean is 68 points behind Gut-Behrami. "I let myself get extremely nervous in Crans-Montana and swore I'd never do that again. My season has gone well and everything that comes next is on top of that," said Venier.

The big hunted skier took a leisurely approach to the first and possibly only test on the combined World Championship courses of 2025 due to the temperatures. In 18th place, Gut-Behrami was 2.35 seconds behind the fastest. A seventh place would be enough for the overall World Cup winner to win her first downhill crystal a few days after the giant slalom.

Gut-Behrami

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Praise for the organizers
Given the high temperatures in Glemmtal, the piste was in surprisingly good shape. "There's quite a bit of lettuce to the left and right, but the track is really good," said Hütter and praised the organizers. "The people from Saalbach have done a job that would probably not have been possible in the rest of the world."

As the lower part of the Ulli Maier course was no longer suitable for racing due to the intensive salt treatment and precipitation, the downhill and super-G competitions below the Ochsenritt passage will switch to the line of the Schneekristall course for the men.

"It has everything a downhill skier's heart desires. At the top, it's like a ski cross park," explained Hütter. "There are at least two waves at every gate." With a gliding section, a wide jump and a fast lower section, there is "everything that is fun". The super-G is scheduled for Friday, the downhill for Saturday. The weather forecast for the second downhill training session on Thursday was not too good.