Julia Scheib delighted her home fans by securing victory in a World Cup giant slalom near Vienna, Austria, putting her at the top of the discipline standings as she closes out 2025 ahead of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. The Austrian skier triumphed over Camille Rast from Switzerland by 0.14 seconds and Sweden’s Sara Hector, the Olympic champion, by 0.40 seconds. Canadian skier Val Grenier finished fourth, just 0.77 seconds behind Scheib.
Reflecting on her win, Scheib expressed her disbelief, stating, “It’s crazy, I never thought it would be the win. It was so tough, it was so bumpy, and I was so relieved when I came into the finish.” Despite being slightly behind Hector after the initial run, Scheib made a comeback in the final run, overtaking Rast with a flawless finish.
Scheib’s main rival in giant slalom, Alice Robinson, faced a setback as she skied out in the first run, allowing Scheib to widen her lead in the discipline standings. Mikaela Shiffrin, who has been dominant in slalom this season, is still striving to regain her form in giant slalom following a previous injury.
Looking ahead, Scheib aims to maintain her winning streak and also focus on super-G racing. Meanwhile, Hector, the current Olympic giant slalom champion, expressed her determination to secure her first victory in nearly a year. The competition continues with a slalom event scheduled for the following day.
The victory in Semmering marks Scheib’s third giant slalom win of the season, solidifying her status as a strong contender for a medal at the upcoming Winter Olympics.