Henrik Kristoffersen fetches slalom ball-diepresse.com
The Norwegian won the Discipline World Cup in the slalom for the fourth time.
Henrik Kristoffersen defended his leadership in Sun Valley nervous and brought 52 points ahead of the Swiss Loic Meillard on Thursday. In the very last competition of the 2024/25 ski World Cup season, the ÖSV was allowed to cheer over a Stockerlplatz: behind which Norwegian Timon Haugan and only 0.03 second French Clement Noel finalized Fabio Gstrein as third.
« It was not so smart in the second run with so many mistakes. I think I got a goal on my head or face, four times or so. It was a bit of rock ‘n’ roll, up and down. But I’m very satisfied with the ball, » said Kristoffersen, who was fourth in front of his toughest competitor Meillard. When his overall triumph was determined, the 30-year-old threw himself into the snow and let go of one shout after another. « If I don’t win the ball today, it would be a defeat. That is certain, » he admitted in the ORF interview.
Kristoffersen found his Constance back this season. The Wahl-Salzburger, who had won the small ball in 2015/16, 2019/20 and 2021/22, won five podium places, in Val D’Esere and Kranjska Gora he raised the winner’s cup. In twelve races, Kristoffersen was, for Marcel Hirscher’s ski company van deerRed Bull Sports drives, never classified less than eighth.
Grein confirmed upward trend
The best Austrian in the slalom rating is Grein as seventh. « It has always been in the right direction. The goal was to drive a podium again – that has now worked out, » said the Tyrolean. Nobody had done easily on the partially ramped slopes, he said. « I myself was surprised that it lights up green because it felt again. »
The other Austrians no longer got on the end of the season. Dominik Raschner narrowly missed the top ten as eleventh, Manuel Feller ended the race as 14th Johannes Strolz and Michael Matt immediately behind in an ÖSV package in ranks 15 and 16. Feller had already criticized the slope preparation after the first round. « It was certainly not a season to imagine it, » said the last year’s winner of the slalom ball. « Of course, the overall performance was not satisfactory. »
Kristoffersen back in stable form
Kristoffersen found his consistency this season. The 30-year-old, who won the small ball in 2015/16, 2019/20 and 2021/22, was fourth in front of Meillard at the end. In winter he got five podium places, in Val D’Iere and Kranjska Gora he raised the winner’s cup. In twelve races, the Wahl-Salzburger, who drives for Marcel Hirscher’s ski company van deer-Red Bull Sports, was never less classified than eight. (APA)
