Swiss skier Camille Rast secured her inaugural World Cup giant slalom victory on Saturday and dedicated her triumph to the individuals affected by the tragic fire at a bar in Crans-Montana. Rast paid tribute to the victims by touching the black mourning band on her left arm following her final run, edging out Austria’s Julia Scheib by two-tenths in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia.
Reflecting on the recent accident in her hometown, Rast expressed her solidarity with the affected families, stating, “We race for them this weekend.” Born in Vetroz, a village near Crans-Montana, Rast’s victory carried a poignant significance in light of the devastating fire that claimed the lives of 40 people and injured over 100 during a New Year’s celebration.
Crans-Montana is slated to host upcoming World Cup speed races for both women and men before the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. American skier Paula Moltzan finished third, trailing by 0.47 seconds, marking her second podium finish of the season, while her teammate Mikaela Shiffrin secured fifth place, just over a second behind.
Meanwhile, Val Grenier from St. Isidore, Ontario, emerged as the top Canadian finisher, clinching ninth place, 2.05 seconds behind the leader. The U.S. ski team showcased a strong performance with Nina O’Brien in eighth and Elisabeth Bocock in 14th, matching her previous career-best result in a giant slalom event.
Julia Scheib extended her lead in the giant slalom standings as her closest rival, Alice Robinson of New Zealand, skied out in the first run for the second consecutive race. The competition continues with a slalom event scheduled for Sunday, with live coverage accessible on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem. This weekend features women’s races exclusively, with no men’s World Cup events taking place.