The stage is set for tomorrow’s FIS Alpine Ski World Cup women’s slalom, and the spotlight shines brightest on the six athletes who dominated last season’s discipline standings. Will the usual suspects lock down the podium once more, or is a breakout performance waiting in the wings? The answer comes Saturday on Levi’s unforgiving Black course.
Here are the names to watch:
Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) – The reigning slalom globe holder and Levi’s eight-time queen arrives with bib 6 and unmatched momentum.
Petra Vlhová (SVK) – Still sidelined by injury, the 2021 world champion’s absence opens the door—but her legacy looms large.
Lena Duerr (GER) – Consistent and fearless, Duerr finished runner-up in the standings and hung 0.75 seconds off Shiffrin here last year.
Katharina Liensberger (AUT) – The 2021 world slalom gold medalist brings speed and tactical brilliance; she rounded out last season’s top four.
Anna Swenn Larsson (SWE) – A podium machine in tight courses, the Swede’s late-season surge earned her fifth in the rankings.
Michelle Gisin (SUI) – Versatile and explosive, Gisin closed out sixth and has the all-around game to disrupt the specialists.
With first-run gates dropping at 10:00 CET and the decisive second run at 13:00 CET, every hundredth will count on a slope notorious for punishing mistakes. Shiffrin leads the betting odds, but Duerr and Liensberger have proven they can strike when the pressure peaks.
Will the hierarchy hold, or will a dark horse—like Canada’s Ali Nullmeyer, Austria’s Katharina Truppe, or American phenom Paula Moltzan—crash the party?
Tune in live on FIS TV, Eurosport, or Ski & Snowboard Live. The reindeer trophy awaits its next champion.
