Scheib claims World Cup Giant Slalom Globe at Åre as Rast challenge ends

Julia Schieb (AUS/Rossignol) put in a superb performance to win at Åre to claim the World Club Giant Slalom Crystal Globe after her closest challenger Camille Rast (SUI/Head) DNFed during a breathless race in Sweden.

The 27-year-old Austrian claimed her fifth World Cup race victory, while Paula Moltzan (USA/Rossignol) + 0.36 seconds and Alice Robinson (NZL/Salomon) + 0.75 secured second and third places, respectively, in a frenetic pursuit which saw the race lead change on numerous occasions.

Scheib, who secured her first World Cup victory in Sölden earlier this year, has captured her very first crystal globe following today's victory.

The result moves her onto 660 points in the Giant Slalom championship, an unassailable lead of 189 points over Rast with just one race remaining.

Meanwhile, the men’s Super G in Courchevel, France was cancelled on Saturday due to heavy snow and fog, edging Marco Odermatt (SUI/Stöckli) closer to a fourth consecutive Super G Crystal Globe.

Rast and Schieb led the field after the first run crossing the line as the top two to set up a mouth-watering second leg, while overall World Cup leader Mikaela Shiffrin (USA/Atomic) began in 12^th going into the showdown after a shaky end to an otherwise strong first outing.

Shiffrin, however, showed her class to take the lead in the second run but was subsequently usurped by rival Emma Aicher (GER/ Head)as the race leader.

Aicher’s time at the top wasn’t too last long though, as Alice Robinson, who had finished fourth in the first run, flew down the slope to post a lead of 0.99 seconds. Paula Moltzan then briefly held first until Schieb took to the course to claim pole position.

The stage was now set for Rast, the final competitor, to wrest the race away from Schieb, but the Swiss DNFed early into her second run to hand Schieb the win and the Overall Giant Slalom Crystal Globe, making her the first Austrian woman to claim the honour since 2016.

Speaking after a gruelling race, Giant Slalom champion Schieb said: "It means a lot, because the last year has not been easy, I am so grateful.

"You feel pressure, especially in a race like this, but you try to block out the outside noise and just focus on the skiing."

Highlighting the challenge of the second run, she said: "It was a fight from the first gate to the last. I couldn't breathe in the finish area."

On winning the Crystal Globe, she added: "It means a lot because it has been a dream of mine for many years so to achieve this is very special."

Reflecting on the race, Paula Moltzan said: "I thought I executed the first run well, which you need for things to come together.

"The second run was a little bit loose and scrappy but I am happy!"

She added: "Julia is a really good friend of mine, so I am really happy for her. In Copper Mountain, when she DNFed, she was so down, so I am really proud of her."

Alice Robinson said: "It was good, it was pretty tough. though. The second run definitely felt pretty wild because of the conditions.

"I am really happy, because GS has been really up and down for me this year."

On Schieb's victory, she said: "She has been on point in pretty much every race. I am really happy for her, she is a well deserved winner."

Odermatt on the brink of another Globe

The forced cancellation of the first of two back-to-back men’s Super G races in Courchevel mean that the all-conquering Odermatt is ever closer to yet another season crown.

With just two Super G races now left in the season and a maximum of 100 points available to the winner of each, Vincent Kriechmayr (AUT/Head) needs everything to go his way to have a chance of catching the Swiss star.

Odermatt will line-up for Sunday’s Super G in Courchevel with a 158-point lead in the standings over the second-placed Austrian, meaning he will have a great chance to add the Super G Globe to the Overall and Downhill titles he won in the French resort on Friday.

Tune in at 09:45 CET to catch all the action.

Check out the full results from the women’s Giant Slalom in Are here, with the latest season standings in the race for the Giant Slalom Crystal Globe here.

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