Sara Hector Clinches Eighth World Cup Giant Slalom Victory Ahead of Olympics

Swedish alpine skier Sara Hector has solidified her top form just before the upcoming Olympics by winning her eighth World Cup giant slalom race. The victory, her first in over a year, came at the World Cup event in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic, the final competition before the Olympic Games begin in February.

Hector led after the first run with a half-second lead, which narrowed in the second but was enough to secure her win by 18 hundredths of a second ahead of American Paula Moltzan and 23 ahead of Mikaela Shiffrin, also from the USA. This win follows Hector’s strong showing earlier in the week with a third-place finish in Kronplatz and marks her fourth podium finish this World Cup season.

Currently ranked third in the giant slalom standings, Hector trails Austria’s Julia Scheib and Switzerland’s Camille Rast. Other Swedish athletes Hanna Aronsson Elfman and Estelle Alphand finished 15th and 26th respectively at the Czech event.

In a post-race interview with Viaplay, Hector expressed her excitement and gratitude, stating, “It feels so good, I am so happy to win, it’s incredible. The audience was amazing.” She also reflected on the significance of winning before a championship, highlighting the strong competitors and the "really cool" atmosphere.

This victory evokes memories of Hector’s previous Olympic gold, which also followed a win in the last race before the championship, adding anticipation for her performance at the upcoming Olympics. The next giant slalom competitions will continue soon, but Hector’s current momentum positions her as a strong contender.