Petra Vlhova claimed just her second slalom win of the season at the FIS Ski Planet Cup Finals Andorra 2023 on Saturday (18 March).

Slovakia’s Olympic champion led by .32 seconds soon after the initially run in Soldeu, and converted her benefit into a victory margin of .43 seconds from Croatia’s Leona Popovic who scored her initially podium finish.

Series winner and general Planet Cup champion Mikaela Shiffrin was third, to tie fellow American Lindsey Vonn’s record for Planet Cup podium finishes with 137.

With the rain lashing down and visibility compromised on a rutting course, many racers failed to finish their second runs such as Canada’s globe champion Laurence St-Germain, Slovenia’s Ana Bucik, Katharina Liensberger, and fellow Austrian Franziska Gritsch who lasted just 3 gates.

A single turn soon after a roller late in the challenge proved especially difficult for the skiers with Mina Fuerst Holtmann, Lena Duerr, and Paula Moltzan losing vast amounts of time.

The latter racers approached that section with a good deal of caution, but Shiffrin attacked the best half to let herself to be somewhat conservative on the bottom half.

And soon after Anna Swenn Larsson skied out, Popovic made the ski of her life to take the lead with just Vlhova to go.

The 27-year-old struggled on the best half, losing her initially-run benefit, but place it collectively on the bottom section to finish her season on her higher.

The season concludes on Sunday with the women’s giant slalom.

Much more to stick to…