Press release —
HEAD newcomer Lara Colturi misses victory by just one hundredth of a second
A successful start to the season for the HEAD Worldcup Rebels at the opening race in Sölden! HEAD newcomer Lara Colturi narrowly missed out on victory in Saturday’s giant slalom, finishing second by just one hundredth of a second. Emma Aicher claimed her first-ever giant slalom podium in third place, while five HEAD athletes finished in the top eight.
“It was an almost perfect start for us in the women’s race. When you lose the first race after changing equipment by such a narrow margin, it shows how well the whole team, and especially the serviceman, have worked. Everyone did a great job. I suspect Lara Colturi still has a little more in reserve. In that respect, it was an ideal start for her, giving her a great deal of confidence,” said HEAD Racing Director Rainer Salzgeber.
“Emma Aicher also achieved the ideal result to start the season. It was her first podium in Sölden. The important thing now is that she doesn’t let it go to her head and stays calm and focused. She wants to compete in every race, and if she finishes third in the very first race, a giant slalom, that promises to make for an exciting season. With five athletes in the top eight despite the difficult conditions in Sölden, it was certainly an excellent start for us.
“In the men’s race, we were in a great position after the first run. Unfortunately, Atle Lie McGrath was then unable to finish. The conditions were not ideal for Alexander Schmid and Henrik Kristoffersen. It was very encouraging to see Anton Grammel move up from 30th to 15th place. Overall, however, the result was not what we had hoped for.”
Equals her best Giant Slalom result
By finishing second, Lara Colturi equalled her best-ever giant slalom result. In 2025, the 19-year-old, who was born in Italy and represents Albania, also finished second in Kranjska Gora. It was her third podium finish in the discipline.
“It was very close today, a tough race. I gained a lot of confidence from this second place. Last season was difficult for me in giant slalom. The skis worked really well, and the whole team worked together very well. I’m very proud of that,” said Lara Colturi after the race.
First Giant Slalom podium for Emma Aicher
Emma Aicher also celebrated a major career milestone in Sölden! The 22-year-old German had previously reached the podium in three disciplines: downhill, super-G and slalom. Now, with her third-place finish, she has reached the giant slalom podium for the first time as well.
“That was really unexpected. Sölden is Sölden, and the slope is tough. I’ve never found it easy here, so this is really cool. I was able to pick up where I left off, which is something I never would have expected,” said Emma Aicher.
Five in the Top Eight
The opening race immediately delivered a fantastic team performance from the HEAD Worldcup Rebels. Alongside Lara Colturi and Emma Aicher, Sweden’s Sara Hector finished fourth, Switzerland’s Camille Rast sixth and New Zealand’s Alice Robinson – also a new addition to HEAD – eighth, giving the team five athletes in the top eight.
Further top-15 finishes came from Estelle Alphand of Sweden in 12th place, A J Hurt of the USA in 13th and Hilma Lövblom of Sweden in 15th. World Cup points also went to Switzerland’s Wendy Holdener in 20th place, Germany’s Lena Dürr in 22nd and Switzerland’s Vanessa Kasper in 28th.
In Sunday’s men’s giant slalom, Atle Lie McGrath failed to finish the second run after placing fifth in the first. Germany’s Anton Grammel finished 15th, his compatriot Alexander Schmid 21st, and Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen 22nd.
Topics
ABOUT HEAD
HEAD is a leading global provider of premium, high-performance equipment and apparel for athletes and players, at all levels.
We have five divisions: Winter Sports, Racquet Sports, Water Sports, Sportswear and Licensing.
We sell products under the brands:
HEAD (alpine skis, ski bindings, ski boots, snowboard and protection products, tennis, racquetball, paddle, squash and pickleball racquets, tennis balls and tennis footwear, sportswear and swimming products)
PENN (tennis balls and racquetball balls)
TYROLIA (ski bindings)
MARES, SSI and rEvo (diving)
LiveAboard (diving holidays, dive tours)
ZOGGS (goggles, swimwear and equipment)
INDIGO (skis, ski helmets, ski goggles, ski accessories, snowboards and other ski gear)
AQUALUNG (scuba diving, freediving and snorkeling)
Since our launch in 1950, we’ve achieved a reputation for cutting-edge design, engineering excellence and a passion for championing all sport, everywhere. World-class performance demands the very best equipment and that’s why, at HEAD, our purpose is to give athletes and players at every level, exactly what they need to win.
