Gut-Behrami Ties Solden Record With Third GS Victory, Norway's Mowinckel Disqualified Under Fluoro' Wax Ban

The sun was shining and crowds were out in full force for the opening race of the 2023-24 Audi FIS Ski World Cup tour in Sölden, Austria on Saturday, Oct. 28. It's been a bad weekend for Norway, following Braathen's unexpected retirement. Ragnhild Mowinckel became the first skier to be disqualified ynder the new flouro' wax ban.

Peter Gerdol, the women's race director of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, said all skis were tested for the banned substance after both runs.

“This was the only ski that showed quite a high value, way more than the minimum threshold, so the jury had no other option than to disqualify the athlete,” Gerdol said.

The decision left Mowinckel's equipment supplier Head in disbelief.

"The worst case has happened. We have absolutely no explanation,” Head race director Rainer Salzgeber said.

Mowinckel's ski technician had her skis “with the exact same preparation” tested by FIS officials two days ago, according to Salzgeber, adding that “everything was green. Now it is dark red.”

After skiing into the lead in the first race of the season at an altitude of 2670m in the finish area, Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI) was so exhausted that she didn't even have enough energy left to find her way to the leader's chair.

Gut-Behrami,  admitted to making "many mistakes on both runs". As for plonking herself down on the snow in the finish area after her second run, it wasn't a new superstition or good-luck charm for the Swiss veteran, but simply the result of an exhausting race. Instead, the Swiss star simply sat on the snow and watched the rest of Saturday's giant slalom race in Sölden from the ground before summoning the strength to pump her first in delight when her victory was confirmed three racers later.

"I needed to recover, I was just tired," Gut-Behrami said when asked why she chose that unusual seat. "I was just trying to recover and to breathe."Now she will breathe a little easier with her 38th World Cup victory under her belt.

"It's amazing to win here," said Gut-Behrami, who also triumphed on the Rettenbach glacier in 2013 and 2016 and joined Tina Maze (SLO) as the only women to win three times in Sölden on the resort's 30th anniversary as a World Cup host.

Gut-Behrami left nothing on the mountain in an aggressive second-run charge that saw her move up from fourth position after the first run and sneak home by 0.02 seconds over Federica Brignone (ITA), with Petra Vlhova (SVK, +0.14s) claiming third.

As the first skier out of the gate in the first run, Gut-Behrami made an error at the bottom of the steep pitch and lost time on the subsequent flats to the skiers who came after her.

"Yesterday when I drew number 1, I was really happy, but in the morning I was a little bit nervous," she admitted. "It was the first time to me to start the season as the first one starting. And I paid for that a little bit in the first run."

On the top section of the second run, Gut-Behrami skied with an aggressiveness that no one else could match, allowing her to carry high speeds all the way down the steep pitch and onto the flat section approaching the finish area.

"The second run, I felt again that everything was normal and I could do what I wanted," Gut-Behrami said about overcoming her earlier nerves.

That second-run charge gave her a lead of 1.19 seconds and she watched as Vlhova, Sara Hector (SWE, fourth) and finally Brignone were unable to dislodge her despite their first-run advantage.

Italian veteran Brignone had earlier skied a spectacular first run to lead the field by 0.50 seconds and Gut-Behrami by 0.73 seconds, but couldn't match that performance in the second run and lost time all the way down the mountain.

"For sure it burns because of the two-hundredths, but that's skiing, right?" said Brignone, who admitted that the occasion got the better of her.

"The second run I was really stressed," she said. "I'm not happy with myself because I didn't do the best I could do. In the first run I could ski really relaxed and in the second run I wasn't — you don't win races like this."

Vlhova, hoping to return to top form after a 2022/23 season that was below her usual standards, was third in both runs in a solid start to her campaign.

"It's good to start with a podium in the first race of the season, but of course I could be a little bit higher on the podium," she said.

Defending giant slalom and overall champion Mikaela Shiffrin (USA), bidding to win her sixth consecutive World Cup giant slalom race, was not at her best in either run and finished sixth.

"A little messy in some spots, but I liked my mentality going into the second run better," Shiffrin said. "A little bit more trying for race mode, I was just not able to execute perfectly."

Shiffrin, who holds the record for the most World Cup wins in alpine skiing, said before the race that she was coming into this season slowly, and would look at this event like the best training opportunity possible as she builds up into the season. She was fifth in the first run and took sixth overall. “It was a little messy in spots, but I liked my mentality going into the second run more," said Shiffrin. "I just was not able to execute perfectly, but having said that, the top women skied unbelievable today and I think there is a lot to learn from that."

Moltzan had a tough first run, but it set the stage for Moltzan to hammer down second run, with a clean course starting third in the lineup. She skied the second-fastest second run of the day to end the day in 11th place, moving up from 28th place. “I was excited for the day and when I crossed the finish line, I realized I needed to forget about that run and focus on my skiing,” said Moltzan. “There was nothing to lose, so I just let it go. It felt good to ski how I have been in training. The goal is to keep doing runs like that, and do two of those next time.”

A highlight of the race was the Bocock sister duo, Mary and Elisabeth, racing in their first World Cup in Sölden. It was the first time two sisters debuted in a World Cup together in 24 years. While the sisters did not qualify for second runs, they were thrilled to have the opportunity to ski on the big stage amongst their heroes.

"That was so cool!" said Elisabeth Bocock. "I can still hear my tech cheering behind me. It was tough but the feeling was awesome."

"It was nice to have each other at the start and going through this new experience together," added Mary Bocock.

AJ Hurt landed in 34th place after the first run, Mary Bocock in 48th and Stella Johansson in 42nd. They did not qualify for a second run. Elisabeth Bocock did not finish.