Super-G chaos at Kvitfjell: Ski superstars rage over 'criminal conditions'

Three Austrians and the German Emma Aicher cheer.

Super-G chaos at Kvitfjell: Ski superstars rage over 'criminal conditions'

Three Austrians and the German Emma Aicher cheer. You benefit from a change in the weather. The top skiers are at odds with ski ace Shiffrin. Nothing is normal in the Kvitfjell Super-G. Then there is talk of "criminal" and "unfair" conditions.

Ski superstar Mikaela Shiffrin again missed Ingemar Stenmark's legendary record of 86 World Cup titles at the Austrian festival, while German Emma Aicher celebrated her best career result. In a completely crazy Super-G marked by unpredictable weather, the American had to settle for seventh place in Kvitfjell.

In the meantime, heavy snowfall had slowed down the track in the Norwegian mountains and caused borderline visibility. Especially in the flatter section of the track, there was hardly anything for athletes like Shiffrin. After the top drivers it cleared up again. "Criminal conditions", the Italian Sofia Goggia complained about the "unfair" conditions.

The Austrians, with their high starting numbers 31, 29 and 26, made the most of the change in weather and celebrated a triple win. Nina Ortlieb got the second victory of her career and was later happy about her "great improvement in performance", although she had to admit that "the conditions were better for me than for others". Second was Stephanie Venier ahead of Franziska Gritsch.

Germany's future hope Emma Aicher also emerged as the winner of the weather lottery and celebrated her best World Cup result with fifth place. Euphorically, the otherwise rather reserved teenager threw her arms in the air at the finish. Kira Weidle had previously cheered exuberantly. The girl from Starnberg, who got stuck at a gate the day before and started with a swollen forearm, was in fourth place for a while. In the end she ended up in ninth place. Katrin Hirtl-Stanggassinger also collected World Cup points as 29th.

Shiffrin had early secured the Big Crystal Globe for victory in the overall World Cup on Saturday and is still at 85 World Cup victories. On Friday, the alpine high-flyer gets the next chance to draw level with the Swedish icon Stenmark in the giant slalom of Are.