Croatian skier Zrinka Ljutić opened the new slalom season with sixth place in the first slalom race of the FIS World Cup in Levi, Finland.
With that, she repeated the ranking from last year and announced the fight for the very top.
The first race of the slalom season is already over, sixth place, solid and I saw a lot of positive things. I think that I ski solidly, that I stand well on the ski, technically the same, I just have to connect some parts and I think that the hundredths will come to my sidesaid Ljutić.
In both runs, the settings were simple and the snow light, which further emphasized the need for precision.
The setup in both runs was simple, she didn’t allow mistakes. I was generally correct, only in the second run near the end of the slope I had one mistake where I buried myself a bit, it lowered my line and I couldn’t transfer speed in a key part of the track. The plain followed, reduced my speed and I couldn’t make up for it which cost me those twenty one hundredths – the standshe said.
Despite this, she is satisfied with the opening of the season:
I really did my best and I think I skied well, technically and tactically. It’s good for the first race.
Leona Popovicwho returned to the World Cup after a long break, failed to win the second run and finished 64th. Ljutić believes that the result does not reflect the real situation.
I saw her drive, I think it was a combination of things – maybe a little insecuritythen slipping right at the beginning. It accumulated and affected self-confidence. But she skied much better in training. She’s a fighter, she’s brave, and I believe she’ll be back to where she was before her injury very soonshe stressed.
The season continues at an extremely fast pace, and the slalom in Gurgl is expected already next weekend.
It is important to stay fresh, focus and get into a routinesaid Ljutić ahead of new challenges.
(www.jabuka.tv | FIS)
