Alpine skier Paula Moltzan wins a World Cup event for the first time — The Guardian

American alpine skier Paula Moltzan won the opening event of the World Cup giant slalom season in Sölden, Austria. The 32-year-old athlete claimed her first World Cup event victory, finishing 0.01 seconds ahead of Albania’s Lara Colturi, The Guardian reports.

Decisive second run

After the first run, Moltzan was in fifth place, but recorded a time of 1 minute 7.86 seconds in the second run to take the lead. Her combined time was 2 minutes 14.82 seconds. Colturi, who was sixth after the first run, finished in 2 minutes 14.83 seconds.

Germany’s Emma Aicher finished third, 0.52 seconds behind the winner. Sweden’s Sara Hector dropped from second place after the first run to fourth. American Mikaela Shiffrin, who led after the first run, finished seventh, 0.83 seconds behind Moltzan.

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First victory after ten podiums

Moltzan made her World Cup debut in 2012. Before the start in Sölden, she had finished second or third ten times at World Cup events but had not yet won. According to the publication, she became the oldest woman to claim her first victory in the Alpine Skiing World Cup.

In May, Moltzan ended her 18-year partnership with French manufacturer Rossignol and moved to Van Deer–Red Bull Sports. She became the first woman to compete for the Austrian brand, which had previously supplied equipment only to men.