Gut-Behrami, who has been at the top of women’s skiing for getting on a decade, was delighted to end her downhill campaign with a first podium.
“I am happy. It has been a weird season, I was skiing well but never fast enough as I wanted, maybe not smooth enough,” said the 31-year-old, who has won both super-G and giant slalom World Cup races this season, form that currently has her second in the overall standings, second in the super-G standings and third in GS.
While she cannot overhaul Mikaela Shiffrin to grab either the overall or the GS titles, the super-G Crystal Globe is very much within her grasp.
“The last races I have been trying to stick too much on the lines and maybe be too perfect. Today I just tried to let the ski run and it worked well. So I think for tomorrow exactly the same thing,” said the Swiss star who lies 19 points behind super-G standings leader, Elena Curtoni.
“I have to stop thinking and trust my instinct,“ added Gut-Behrami.
For Curtoni, Thursday’s final super-G now takes on even more importance. The Italian, who has never won a Crystal Globe, was third in the downhill standings going into today’s race but a crash near the top dropped her into fourth, just an agonising single point below Corinne Suter.
“For sure I am a bit angry. It was important for me today, I wanted to do well and I felt good,” the 32-year-old said. “Luckily I am OK. Tomorrow is a new goal and I am going to try to rest my mind and to get back the energy for tomorrow.”
The women’s super-G race starts at 10:00 local time, do not miss it with five skiers, who are separated by a mere 44 points, in the hunt for the season glory.
