CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland - Swiss skier Lara Gut-Behrami continued her impressive winning streak by securing victory in a shortened downhill race at the Mont Lachaux course on Friday. With her fourth consecutive win, Gut-Behrami closed in on the injured Sofia Goggia in the World Cup downhill standings.
Gut-Behrami proved to be the fastest on the course, finishing 0.21 seconds ahead of her Swiss teammate Jasmine Flury. Austrian skier Cornelia Huetter also managed to secure second place with the same time as Flury. For Gut-Behrami, this victory marked her first downhill win in over two years.
Reflecting on her performance, Gut-Behrami attributed her success to her attitude during the race. Despite making a few mistakes and experiencing difficulty with her skis, she fought to stay on course and maintain her speed. It was a hard-fought victory for Gut-Behrami, who faced tough competition from other top-skiers.
The race was the first downhill event since Sofia Goggia suffered a season-ending injury during a training crash. Goggia has been a dominant force in the World Cup downhill standings for the past three seasons. With this victory, Gut-Behrami has now closed the gap to 41 points behind Goggia.
With three more downhill races remaining this season, including one in Crans-Montana on Saturday, Gut-Behrami has a chance to overtake Goggia and claim the title for herself. A race win is worth 100 points, meaning that Gut-Behrami's recent success has put her in a strong position to challenge for the top spot in the standings. Additionally, there is a Super-G race scheduled for Sunday in Crans-Montana.
Lara Gut-Behrami's recent achievements have been nothing short of remarkable. She recently took over the top spot in the overall standings, surpassing Mikaela Shiffrin with a giant slalom victory last weekend. With a lead of 105 points, Gut-Behrami has established herself as the one to beat in the overall competition. Shiffrin is currently sidelined due to a left knee injury.
In addition to her overall standing, Gut-Behrami also leads the Super-G and giant slalom disciplines. If she maintains her form, she could join Shiffrin in claiming four crystal globes in a single season, an impressive feat achieved by Shiffrin in 2019.
It's worth noting that several top skiers have been plagued by serious injuries this season, resulting in premature ends to their campaigns. Petra Vlhova, Valerie Grenier, and Corinne Suter on the women's circuit, and Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, Alexis Pinturault, and Marco Schwarz on the men's circuit have all suffered season-ending injuries due to crashes.
As Gut-Behrami strives for her second overall title, eight years after her first, she is on track to match the record set by Annemarie Moser-Pröll. Moser-Pröll is the only other female skier to win overall titles eight years apart, claiming her first in 1971 and her sixth in 1979.
Gut-Behrami's victory in the shortened downhill race was a testament to her skill and determination. Despite facing challenges on the course, she managed to showcase her speed and secure an important win. The race being shortened was due to warm temperatures and soft snow conditions, which required adjustments to ensure the safety of the competitors.
The final stretch of the season promises to be an exciting battle between Gut-Behrami and her competitors, as they vie for the top spots in the World Cup standings. As the skiers prepare for the remaining races, fans eagerly anticipate the outcome and look forward to witnessing the impressive performances that will determine this season's champions.
