Swiss skier Camille Rast clinched her inaugural victory in a World Cup giant slalom contest on Saturday and dedicated the triumph to the victims of the recent fire at a bar in Crans-Montana. Rast paid tribute to the families affected by the tragic incident in her hometown by wearing a black mourning band on her left arm as she crossed the finish line ahead of Julia Scheib of Austria in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia.
Speaking in a post-race interview, Rast expressed her heartfelt sentiments, stating, “This week, in my hometown, there was a tragical accident and I think about those families. We race for them, this weekend.” The Swiss skier, whose roots trace back to Vetroz, a village near Crans-Montana, competed with a heavy heart following the devastating fire that claimed 40 lives and injured over 100 individuals during a New Year’s celebration.
The upcoming World Cup speed races in Crans-Montana are scheduled for women on Jan. 30-31 and for men on Feb. 1, serving as the final events before the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. In the competition, Paula Moltzan secured a third-place finish, trailing behind Rast and Scheib, while Mikaela Shiffrin claimed the fifth position. Val Grenier of St. Isidore, Ontario, emerged as the leading Canadian skier, finishing ninth overall, 2.05 seconds behind the winner.
The U.S. ski team showcased a strong performance with Nina O’Brien securing eighth place and Elisabeth Bocock finishing 14th, matching her career-best result achieved in a previous giant slalom event. The GS standings saw Julia Scheib extending her lead as her main contender, New Zealand’s Alice Robinson, failed to complete the course for the second consecutive race.
Following the giant slalom event, a slalom competition is set for Sunday at the same venue, with live coverage accessible on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem. Meanwhile, there are no men’s World Cup races scheduled for this weekend. Viewers can catch the full replay of Saturday’s final run online to witness the thrilling action from the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia.