Ljutic gives Croatian women’s ski team its 1st win since great Kostelic last triumphed in 2006
Croatia's Zrinka Ljutic speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom race, in Semmering, Austria, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Piermarco Tacca)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Piermarco Tacca]
SEMMERING, Austria (AP) — Zrinka Ljutic has given the Croatian women’s ski team its first World Cup victory in almost 19 years by triumphing in the final race of the calendar year. Ljutic dominated the fourth slalom of the season and won the race by a huge margin of 1.75 seconds over runner-up Lena Duerr of Germany. 2021 world champion Katharina Liensberger of Austria finished 1.85 behind in third. It’s the first World Cup victory for a Croatian woman since four-time Olympic champion Janica Kostelic earned her 30th and last win in March 2006. Injured stars Mikaela Shiffrin and Petra Vlhova didn’t race.
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Croatia's Zrinka Ljutic celebrates winning an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom race in Semmering, Austria, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Giovanni Auletta