Press release -
Lena Dürr continues run of success in Levi
Levi remains a great event for Lena Dürr. In the Slalom on Saturday, the German athlete finished third to podium for the fifth time in the World Cup venue in Finland. Fourth and fifth place went to Anna Swenn-Larsson and Camille Rast. Emma Aicher clocked the fastest time on the second run.
"Lena Dürr's performance was very good. The women's team taking third, fourth and fifth place was a great result, and Emma Aicher's performance with the best time on the second run was simply brilliant," emphasised HEAD Racing Director Rainer Salzgeber. "As far as the men's team is concerned, we are also leaving Levi on a positive note. There were many great things happening, and we learned a lot on the first run. For the second run, we optimised Atle Lie McGrath's set-up, and he skied an excellent time. Benjamin Ritchie finishing in the top 15 with the high bib number of 48 was also pleasing. That was a really good development."
"The start is the most important thing for me"
Lena Dürr, who was second in the Slalom World Cup last season, was in second place after the first run. Skiing the eleventh fastest time on the second run, she snatched her first podium finish of the season in the first Slalom this season. The 33-year-old can look back on a successful series in Levi over the past four seasons: she bagged two third places in 2021, two fourth places in 2022, a second and third place in 2023, and a third place this year. "I am happy that I managed to reach the podium again. The start is the most important thing for me. I'm not going to be looking too far ahead, it's going to be one event at a time, so I'm really focused on next weekend," said a delighted Lena Dürr.
Emma Aicher clocks fastest second run
With Anna Swenn-Larsson from Sweden in fourth place, Camille Rast from Switzerland in fifth place, and Emma Aicher from Germany in ninth place, three more HEAD Worldcup Rebels finished in the top ten. Clocking the best time on the second run, Emma Aicher moved up from 22nd place into the top ten. World Cup points were also picked up by Wendy Holdener from Switzerland in 16th place, Cornelia Öhlund and Sara Hector from Sweden in 17th and 19th place, and Dzenifera Germane from Latvia who finished in 21st place.
Atle Lie McGrath finishes twelfth
In the men's slalom on Sunday, Atle Lie McGrath from Norway, who started the season with a third-place podium in the Giant Slalom in Sölden, was the fastest HEAD Worldcup Rebel in twelfth place, having clocked the sixth-best time on the second run. Right behind him, Benjamin Ritchie was delighted with his best individual World Cup result to date in 13th place. The USA athlete put in a mighty fifth-fastest time on the second run. Dave Ryding from Great Britain finished 16th in his debut for HEAD with the fifth fastest time on the first run, while Albert Popov from Bulgaria finished in 18th place.
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