Viktoria rebensburg must put aside the unsatisfactory start to the season in giant slalom. Fourth place in solden a month ago and now the end of the season in killington on saturday, despite the best chances for a podium place in each case, do not fit the season’s goal of giant slalom ball.
The failure in the u.S. Was the first in their favorite discipline in almost four years. But there are still six races to go in this discipline – and rebensburg has other plans for the world championship winter. In addition pay a medal in the title competitions and success in the speed disciplines: "I also did not like to let the super-G fall behind. There was an "aha" effect last year. Even if the results weren’t that good," the 29-year-old skier already said in the summer.
After the departure from the US state of vermont, on the way to the canadian rocky mountains in lake louise, rebensburg has to get physically and mentally ready for the long skis again. And not to be rattled by the results at the start of the season ahead of the two upcoming downhills and super g. "Basically, you just have to make sure you get it down well next time," head coach jurgen graller told the german press agency. "The gross mistake would be to dramatize something now."
It is clear, however, that no one in the german ski federation is satisfied with the start to the season of the only real world-class female alpine skier. "It’s just annoying because i know she’s fast," graller said after saturday’s race. Rebensburg had whizzed into fifth place in the first run in front of 18,500 spectators and had thus built up a good starting position for the second run.
In the final, she didn’t let the hustle and bustle surrounding the american mikaela shiffrin, who had started right in front of her, get her down at first. Without any uncertainty, rebensburg carved around the gates – but then blundered without need on a right-hand turn: inside ski error, out. After 29 giant slaloms with placements in the points, it was the first retirement for rebensburg in her favorite discipline since december 2014 in are. She would have easily finished third behind winner federica brignone and ragnhild mowinckel in second place. "Not my day," rebensburg tweeted afterwards. In lake louise things might look different again.