Tina Weirather scored her seventh career World Cup Super G win in Crans Montana as she bettered the time of Anna Veith and slalom specialist Wendy Holdener. Federica Brignone and Michelle Gisin shared fourth place after Holdener had come down from outside the top thirty starters to go into third, just two hundredths behind Veith.
While there was no Lindsey Vonn or Ester Ledecka, the surprise Olympic Champion, on the start list, there were still World Cup points up for grabs. Lara Gut came into the race in possession of the red bib as the leader of the Super G standings yet with the win Weirather now heads the standings with just one race to go, the World Cup Finals in Are later this month. Anna Veith is third in the standings but cannot win the Globe as she is 114 points back.
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CRANS-MONTANA, SWITZERLAND - MARCH 03: Anna Veith of Austria takes 2nd place during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Women's Super G on March 3, 2018 in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. (Photo by Michel Cottin/Agence Zoom)[/caption]
Weirather and Veith were nip and tuck with little choose between the two all the way down but it was the Liechtenstein racers run into the finish that saw her take the win. A jump just above the finish required a clean entry and then a smooth landing and this was were Weirather excelled. While Brignone was the only one faster than Weirather in this section, it was Weirather that had the speed to the finish line.
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CRANS-MONTANA, SWITZERLAND - MARCH 03: Wendy Holdener of Switzerland takes 3rd place during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Women's Super G on March 3, 2018 in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. (Photo by Alain Grosclaude/Agence Zoom)[/caption]
Veith was deprived at the Olympics of defending her Gold Medal by Ledecker and this was another bitter pill to swallow. After two years almost out injured, Veith is getting back to the form she showed prior to her injury. Yes, she has won races since her return but the continued top end performances have eluded her at times.
For Holdener this was her first podium on the Super G World Cup, her previous best was 19th in St Moritz!
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CRANS-MONTANA, SWITZERLAND - MARCH 03: Anna Veith of Austria takes 2nd place, Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein takes 1st place, Wendy Holdener of Switzerland takes 3rd place during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Women's Super G on March 3, 2018 in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. (Photo by Michel Cottin/Agence Zoom)[/caption]
With another lock out of the podium for Head and eight of the top twelve racers home, this was a stunning performance for the brand.
Cara Brown placed 47th, just under 1.3 seconds off making the top thirty in her third World Cup start. Brown is producing strong performances in Super G and while this was not a FIS point scoring result, she has two under 42 this season, the future is looking very positive for her. Crans Montana has been a good place for her this season as she also scored her first Europa Cup points in Downhill at the end of February.
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