Sara Hector takes Red Jersey following sensational Giant Slalom

A brilliant first run and the third fastest time on run two wins Sara Hector the Giant Slalom in Kranjska Gora on Saturday with a sensational lead of 1.42 seconds. Following this ultimate performance, the Swedish athlete also takes the Red Jersey as the World Cup leader in this discipline. In the Slalom in Kranjska Gora on Sunday, Wendy Holdener only just misses victory with two strong runs to finish second, while Anna Swenn-Larsson finishes third.

"Sara Hector said herself that she has a super set-up and that the equipment works well. That really helps, especially in these conditions. She is skiing with a great deal of confidence. Her service man Reinhard Berbig did a very good job," says HEAD Racing Director Rainer Salzgeber about this result. "I am also very pleased with the second place by Wendy Holdener. On both runs she demonstrated that she's back at the very highest level. She also won back her confidence in this race, which is great for the upcoming challenges. In the Slalom there were four HEAD World Cup Rebels in the top six and eleven qualified for the second run. In the Giant Slalom, there were twelve on the second run. This shows everyone what can be achieved with our equipment."

"I had a super set-up"

Sara Hector skied a magic first run in the Giant Slalom, despite the course being so icy. The Swedish athlete started the second run with a lead of 1.13 seconds. "I had a super set-up, the skis ran very well and I felt great. My service man did a brilliant job. I am really enjoying skiing right now," said a delighted Sara Hector at the finish. Clocking the third-fastest time on the second run, the 32-year-old extended her lead to a total of 1.42 seconds. This victory is Sara Hector's seventh in the World Cup, the seventh in the Giant Slalom, and the second this season following her win in Killington in November. Her success in Kranjska Gora sees the Swedish athlete take the lead in the Giant Slalom World Cup after four out of eight races with 296 points, a clear 96 points in front of Federica Brignone.

Three more HEAD World Cup Rebels landed in the top ten, with Lara Gut-Behrami from Switzerland finishing in sixth place, Camille Rast was eighth, and A J Hurt from the USA finished in tenth place. World Cup points were also picked up by Vickhoff Lie from Norway in 15th place, Estelle Alphand from Sweden 16th, Stephanie Brunner from Austria 17th, Wendy Holdener from Switzerland 18th, Ilaria Ghisalberti from Italy 23rd, Emma Aicher and Lena Dürr from Germany in 24th and 25th place, and Victoria Olivier from Austria who finished 29th. These are the first points for 20-year-old Victoria Olivier in only her third World Cup competition.

Wendy Holdener skis two excellent runs

Unleashing the same level of performance as Sara Hector, Wendy Holdener delivered an excellent result in the Slalom. Having taken the lead together with Zrinka Ljutic on the first run, the Swiss athlete was just 16 hundredths of a second behind on the second run. "I wasn't sure how well I had skied. When I crossed the finish line and saw my time, I reckoned it could be enough for the win. This second place means a lot to me. I wasn't feeling well last week and was disappointed in Semmering. I'm pleased that I am taking away a sound performance today. It feels good, and I know I can continue like this now," said Wendy Holdener.

Second podium this season for Anna Swenn-Larsson

Third place went to HEAD World Cup Rebel Anna Swenn-Larsson. This is the Swedish athlete's second podium of the season following her second place in the Slalom in Killington in December. With Camille Rast in fourth place and Sara Hector sixth, four of the HEAD team were among the top six. Another five HEAD World Cup Rebels scored points: Eliane Christen from Switzerland starting with bib number 46 finished in 15th place, Cornelia Öhlund from Sweden was 16th, Jessica Hilzinger from Germany and Janine Mächler from Switzerland 21st, and Estelle Alphand from Sweden finished 26th.