On Friday, in the first Super-G at Kvitfjell Cornelia Huetter gave Austria the first victory of the season. Today, Nina Ortlieb tops an Austrian podium with Stephanie Venier second (+0.12) and Franziska Gritsch third (+0.38).
In changing conditions Austria's women seized the opportunity in Kvitfjell and celebrated their first triple victory in a Super-G since December 2005 when Alexandra Meissnitzer leads an Austrian podium in Lake Louise.
Nina Ortlieb celebrated her second World Cup victory while Franziska Gritsch landed on the podium for the first time in this discipline.
The first skiers had to contend with a heavy snowfall and a slower piste, especially at the top. Then, after Sofia Goggia takes the lead with bib 16, the conditions changed radically. With better visibility and a much faster track, the result of the penultimate Super-G of the season in Kvitfjell was completely turned upside down with none of the discipline favorites finishing in the Top 10. The leader of the Super-G standings Elena Curtoni was the best in place 12th.
For Nina Ortlieb it is the first World Cup victory in more than three years, she won a Super-G in La Thuile on February 2020, and her fourth podium finish. This season she won silver in the Downhill at the World Championships in Courchevel-Méribel.
"Amazing. But I have to be honest and say that I definitely had better conditions than the first skiers. The snowfall stopped and the visibility was better. I'm well aware of that. I'm a little sorry that it wasn't the same for everyone. Still, for me it was a big improvement and I don't think we were the only ones with good conditions.I feel a lot of relief and joy at the moment", Ortlieb said.
For Stephanie Vernier today's second place means her first podium finish since February 2020 when she finished third in the Downhill at Crans Montana. It's her 7th podium in the World Cup the third one in the Super-G.
“I think that we were quite favored today in terms of the weather. I knew at the start that everything was still in place because 'Franzi' just started in front of me. It's crazy, it feels good again", Vernier said.
Franziska Gritsch, who already finished in 7th place on Friday's Super-G, rounded out the Austrian podium and achieved her third Top-3 in the World Cup.
"It was just super cool, it hasn't happened to me that often that the number one lights up at the finish line. I have to say that the track has opened up for us. I tried to really use that. I don't know what else to say", said Gritsch.
After today's race Elena Curtoni continues to lead the discipline standings with 332 points. Lara Gut-Behrami is second 19 points behind her. Cornelia Huetter, in third place, is 25 points behind. Ragnhild Mowinckel is fourth 26 points behind the Italian. Federica Brignone closes the group of skiers fighting for the Crystal Globe in Super-G with 288 points.
This season, the seven Women's World Cup Super-G events have been won by seven different women (Corinne Suter, Lake Louise; Mikaela Shiffrin, St Moritz; Federica Brignone, St. Anton; Lara Gut-Behrami, St. Anton; Ragnhild Mowinckel, Cortina d'Amppezo; Cornelia Huetter, Kvitfjell; and Nina Ortlieb, Kvitfjell).
The fight for the Super-G Crystal Globe is still on with five skiers separated by just 44 points after the race in Kvitfjell. Everything is possible in the last Super-G at the World Cup Finals in Soldeu, Andorra on March 16th.
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