Maria Therese Tviberg took gold for Norway in the Women’s Parallel Event in the World Championships in Courchevel, France.
The 28-year-old pulled off a fantastic victory defeating Swiss star Wendy Holdener in the final.
In third, also representing Norway, was Thea Louis Stjernesund.
What makes the result more impressive is that Tviberg was an injury doubt heading into the race, after she crashed out in yesterday’s Team Parallel Event.
Norway had to pull in Kristin Lysdahl for the final against the USA as a substitute with the injury.
But the Norwegian said she only had a “slightly bruised back” before the race.
It wasn’t the only shock of the day, as home favourite Marie Lamure, who isn’t proven on the circuit, defeated defending champion Marta Bassino in the round of 16.
The French star, at the tender age of 21-years-old, did it in style, taking a 0.50 advantage over the Italian, which Bassino could only close by a tenth in the second leg.
The young star did it all again against Franziska Gritsch in the quarter finals, beating the Austrian by 0.24 over two legs.
She would face Wendy Holdener in the semi-finals, while Tviberg would race her team-mate Stjenersund, who was one of the stars of yesterday’s team event.
The local crowd were going wild for the local racer, and she did stay in touch of Holdener in the first leg, with the Swiss only getting a 0.16 advantage.
However in the second leg, Lamure struggled to get into the rhythm down the Roc de Fer piste, and Holdener skied off into the distance - but she would return in the race-off for third position.
Tviberg got the better of her fellow Norwegian, despite a late lunge from Stjernesund which saw her close two-tenths of a second.
In the small final, Lamure got a 0.05 second advantage on Stjernesund, a small margin but it would still put her in the driving seat for P3 in the second leg.
The pair were neck and neck through the second leg, but the French skiers outside ski released as she hit a rut hard.
A very disappointing moment for the 21-year-old, but Marie Lamure is certainly one to watch for the future.
Following the race, Lamure said: “I’m at my home (Courchevel) so I wanted to just show myself, to do my skiing, just be relaxed without any pressure.
“That’s what I tried to do, so I’m pretty happy about it.
“Right now I’m a bit disappointed because it was so close, but at the same time I’m happy because I got to show my real self and my skiing.”
The French star will be in action again in the women’s slalom on Saturday.
Tviberg and Holdener set identical times in the opening leg of the final, so the start systems dropped at the same time for the second leg.
Tviberg settled into the rhythm immaculately, getting straight into gear in the top few turns, at the finish having a 0.67 advantage.
Emphatic after her victory, she said: “When I qualified for the final I became speechless, I’m never speechless.
“I’m just proud of myself and to get my first podium in a World Championships, it’s really a dream come true.”
Words Jack Feneley
Picture Zoom Agence