It wasn’t because of the piste, says Lena Dürr after fourth place in the first slalom of the alpine season. In Finland she leads once again after the first round – and again misses her first win. Instead, Mikaela Shiffrin swings to her 75th World Cup victory.
Winner Mikaela Shiffrin rushed to comfort her, but Lena Dürr’s disillusionment was enormous. Another formidable first round – and in the end only fourth place. The trauma of Beijing seems to still haunt the 31-year-old at the women’s World Cup opener in Levi, Finland.
“I don’t even know what to say,” confessed Dürr afterwards, “I really tried it”. In the end, the native of Munich failed to convert a great lead from the first round into her first slalom victory, as she did last winter. First the dramatic finish at the Olympics in Beijing, then the two World Cups in Are/Sweden and in French Courchevel/Meribel – and now Levi.
Instead, the dominators of the past winters showed at the start of the new season that victories can only be won through them again. Overall World Cup winner Shiffrin drove 0.20 seconds ahead of third-placed Olympic champion Petra Vlhova to her 75th World Cup victory. Only the Swede Anna Swenn Larsson was a surprise guest on the podium as second (0.16 seconds).
In addition to Dürr, Jessica Hilzinger and Andrea Filser from the total of six German starters were able to qualify for the second run. The former celebrated at least a small success: 16th place meant Hilzinger’s best place in a World Cup race, Filser finished 24th.
“I can only imagine how the others pushed down there again,” emphasized Dürr, who was the last to start up the slope. A disadvantage? “It’s not that easy. The track was still bombastic in the second run, but you know you can’t really push your thing through,” said Dürr and added: “Then I just pull back the tick too much, and that Of course it doesn’t work at all.” Overall, she lost 1.3 seconds to Shiffrin in heat two.
Dürr then showed himself combative and is already looking towards Sunday, when the 31-year-old has the chance to make amends at the same place. She wanted to “attack again and not give up,” she emphasized. Maybe she’ll be able to build on her good results in Levi from last winter.
A year ago, Dürr celebrated her first two podium finishes in the slalom world cup in the ski area north of the Arctic Circle. “Tomorrow I have my next chance,” said Dürr: “In the second race I still have a score to settle”.
