Shiffrin misses record success: Dürr trumps high-flyer in sensational victory

Lena Dürr sensationally won her first World Cup slalom and prevented the record victory of skiing queen Mikaela Shiffrin, which was expected by everyone.

Shiffrin misses record success: Dürr trumps high-flyer in sensational victory

Lena Dürr sensationally won her first World Cup slalom and prevented the record victory of skiing queen Mikaela Shiffrin, which was expected by everyone. The 31-year-old drove 0.06 seconds faster than the American in the second goal run in Spindlermühle/Czech Republic and denied her her 86th triumph.

Lena Dürr accepted the homage from skiing queen Mikaela Shiffrin with a smile, but she still couldn't really grasp her sensational coup. She shook her head in disbelief when she was supposed to stand next to the best ski racer in history for the winning photo, from whom Dürr had just snatched the record win that Dürr thought was certain.

"It's crazy that I made it today of all days," said Dürr, after all everything was set for Shiffrin's historic triumph. But it was the 31-year-old from Munich who jumped onto the highest step of a slalom podium for the first time on Sunday in Spindlermühle/Czech Republic with a cry of joy. The American, who won the first race the day before ahead of Dürr, still has to wait a bit for her 86th World Cup success.

"That's a number and very, very worthy of recognition," said DSV Alpine boss Wolfgang Maier, impressed, "it was a top weekend for Lena. Then to beat Shiffrin in the open field - I've always said it, and that too I stand: I would never have believed her capable of that."

Dürr himself very well. "We knew it was possible," she emphasized, "but I never would have thought that it would work today." Shiffrin's lead (0.67 seconds) before the finale was too big. "I gave everything," said Dürr, "and it was enough." And by almost 0.06 seconds, exactly ten years to the day after her only World Cup success so far at the City Event in Moscow in 2013.

When her coup was complete, she seemingly calmly unbuckled her skis, then accepted congratulations from the competition and her teammates. "It's so cool that it worked," said Dürr at the foot of the Giant Mountains. After all, it "took a while", she admitted with a smile after her 189th race.

When Maria Höfl-Riesch won the last German slalom in November 2012 in Levi, Dürr missed the final. After a few screwed up years, many observers saw her as an eternal talent before finally fulfilling the promise that experts had seen in her early on with four podium finishes last season.

At the Olympics, Dürr missed out on a medal as the leader of the first run, dramatically by a tiny 0.07 seconds. But she recovered quickly and was fourth twice right at the beginning of the World Cup winter. She has had three podium finishes since the end of December - and now, in the last race before the World Championships in Meribel/Courchevel (February 5th to 19th), her first victory.

Maier bowed to Dürr, his hottest medal contender for the highlight of the season. Even the way she "appears off the slopes is awesome", enthused the Alpinchef, "she always takes a back seat, always involves the team and emphasizes it. That has a great quality". And Shiffrin? As always, she took it sporty. "Respect for Lena," said Mikaela I., "she deserved to win, I begrudge her that."