Kranjska Gora Hosts First 2025 World Cup GS: What to Know

Valerie Grenier (CAN) Kranjska Gora 2024: GEPA Photos

Ladies’s World Cup GS: Who’s Racing, When, and The best way to Watch

Kranjska Gora: A New Chapter within the Golden Fox’s Storied Historical past

Alpine snowboarding has deep roots in Slovenia, the place the primary skis in Central Europe have been crafted. Initially used for transportation, snowboarding turned a celebrated sport, and Slovenia turned a hub for winter competitors. January 2024 marked the sixtieth anniversary of the primary FIS Alpine Ski World Cup competitors held initially on the Maribor Pohorje ski space. Over the previous six many years, the Golden Fox, nonetheless the unofficial identify of the race, has grow to be a centerpiece of numerous inspiring tales in ladies’s Alpine snowboarding.

Historically hosted in Maribor, the competitors was formally moved to Kranjska Gora not too long ago as a result of local weather change. Hotter winters made it unimaginable to provide sufficient synthetic snow, forcing the occasion to adapt. The Golden Fox has been held in Kranjska Gora 11 occasions, together with the latest seasons, cementing the Podkoren slope as its new residence. Notably, the Golden Fox was the location of a historic milestone in 1972, when the ladies’s big slalom was contested over two runs for the primary time.

The Podkoren slope on Vitranc mountain is a difficult and technical stage for the world’s finest skiers. With a vertical drop of 442 meters and a most incline of 59%, this steep and demanding course guarantees high-stakes competitors for the 2025 version of the Golden Fox.

Key Contenders and What’s at Stake

Canada’s Valérie Grenier, the defending champion in Kranjska Gora, enters the race with robust momentum. After narrowly lacking the rostrum in Semmering by simply 0.04 seconds, she is poised to contend for an additional Golden Fox victory. Grenier’s historical past on the Podkoren, together with her win in 2024 and a second victory in 2023, makes her a number one contender.

Federica Brignone (Italy), the present big slalom standings chief, is recent off her second win of the season in Semmering. Brignone additionally completed third in Kranjska Gora final 12 months, demonstrating her consistency and experience on this demanding slope. Sweden’s Sara Hector, the winner in Killington and runner-up in Semmering, trails Brignone by simply 4 factors within the standings and is one other favourite to observe.

New Zealand’s Alice Robinson, with podiums in Sölden and Semmering this season, has confirmed she will excel in difficult circumstances and can look to safe her first victory of the season. Reigning World Cup Big Slalom champion Lara Intestine-Behrami (Switzerland), who completed second in Kranjska Gora final 12 months, has but to hit the rostrum this season however stays a perennial menace.

High 15 Ladies’s GS World Cup Rank After Semmering

Click on pictures to enlarge

Season Standings and Nations Cup Replace

After three big slalom races, Federica Brignone leads the standings with 200 factors, adopted carefully by Sara Hector at 196. Alice Robinson sits third, whereas the highest 5 are separated by simply 84 factors, underscoring the tight race for the Crystal Globe.

The Stifel U.S. Ladies lead Italy by 29 factors within the Nations Cup Big Slalom standings, because of constant scoring from Katie Hensien, Paula Moltzan and Nina O’Brien. With 9 North American skiers scoring GS factors this season, the area continues to shine with aggressive depth.

Nations Cup GS Standings

Seventy-two ladies representing 23 nations are set to compete within the World Cup Big Slalom in Kranjska Gora on January 4. Switzerland leads the sector with 9 athletes on the beginning record, carefully adopted by Austria with eight.

Tim Cafe (NZL) set the primary run, and Pauli Intestine (SUI) will set the second run.

North American Highlights

North American skiers have delivered robust performances this season, and the contingent heading to Kranjska Gora is brimming with expertise. Grenier leads the cost, whereas Moltzan (USA) is on the rise, coming off a career-best fifth-place end in Semmering. Hensien has been a standout performer for the Stifel U.S. Ski Workforce, with finishes of fourth in Sölden, thirteenth in Killington, and a points-earning twenty eighth in Semmering.

Extra U.S. skiers embody O’Brien, who completed fifteenth in Semmering, and AJ Damage, who scored her first factors of the season in her return from harm. Canada’s Cassidy Grey, who completed twentieth in Semmering, will purpose to construct on her stable begin to the season. Rising skills like Elisabeth Bocock, who earned her first profession World Cup factors in Killington, and her sister Mary Bocock, who seeks her first factors, can even compete. Canadian skier Justine Lamontagne provides depth to the North American contingent as she appears to be like to interrupt into the factors.

North American Ladies With 2025 World Cup GS Factors

North American ladies racing GS in Killington

Bib 3, Valérie Grenier, ACA, Membership de Ski Mont Tremblant

Bib 14, AJ Damage, Stifel USST, Workforce Palisades Tahoe, HEAD

Bib 15, Paula Moltzan, Stifel USST, College of Vermont, Ski and Snowboard Membership, Vail, Oakley

Bib 20, Nina O’Brien, Stifel USST, Burke Mountain Academy

Bib 26, Britt Richardson, ACA, Calgary Alpine Racing Membership, Burke Mountain, Academy, Oakley

Bib 28, Katie Hensien, Stifel USST, College of Denver, Rowmark Ski Academy, SHRED

Bib 35, Cassidy Grey, ACA, Workforce Panorama, Atomic

Bib 52, Elisabeth Bocock, Stifel USST, Rowmark Ski Academy

Bib 58, Mary Bocock, Stifel USST, Dartmouth School, Rowmark Ski Academy

Bib 65, Justine Lamontagne, Montana State College, Mount Sainte-Anne

What to Count on

As the ladies tackle the problem of the Podkoren slope, count on a wide-open race for the rostrum. Brignone, Hector, and Robinson have been probably the most constant performers this season, however Grenier’s mastery of Kranjska Gora makes her a high contender. Moltzan, Hensien, and O’Brien lead the Stifel U.S. Ski Workforce effort, whereas rising stars like Elisabeth Bocock, her sister Mary Bocock, and Canadian Justine Lamontagne may ship stunning breakout performances. With tight margins within the standings and a discipline filled with potential winners, this race guarantees one other thrilling chapter within the big slalom season.

How and When to Watch

The primary run begins at 3:30 a.m. Japanese and 12:30 a.m. Pacific time, with the second run following at 6:30 a.m. Japanese and three:30 a.m. Pacific Time.

U.S. audiences can watch the race reside or as a replay on Ski And Snowboard Dwell.