Neja Dvornik Delights Home Fans with 8th Place, Sara Hector Wins
Kranjska Gora hosted the first home race of the season for Slovenian competitors. The alpine skiers competed in a giant slalom, where Neja Dvornik delivered an impressive performance, finishing in 8th place. Ana Bucik Jogan also secured points, while Sweden's Sara Hector dominated the competition: "Slope was in perfect condition and the conditions were fair for everyone. The atmosphere was really nice, everyone was cheering and happy. Comparing to last year, the weather is what really made a difference. It was just an amazing day, I really like it here."
Unstoppable Sara Hector in Kranjska Gora Photo: Sloski/ www.alesfevzer.com
The organizers in Kranjska Gora once again excelled, preparing a well-crafted and very challenging course for all competitors. During the first run, Sweden's Sara Hector built a commanding lead of over a second ahead of her rivals. Slovenia's Neja Dvornik, starting with bib 25, performed exceptionally well, trailing Hector by +1.88 seconds and finishing with the 7th fastest time. One bib earlier, Ana Bucik Jogan also secured a place in the second run with the 16th fastest time and a +2.48-second deficit.
Ana Bucik Jogan in the finish arena Photo: Sloski/ www.alesfevzer.com
Despite high hopes, the 4,808 spectators at the finish line had to be content with two Slovenian finalists. Andreja Slokar came close to joining them; starting with bib 68, she missed the final by just 26 hundredths of a second, finishing 37th. Young Nika Tomšič put up a strong fight and finished 59th.
In the final run on the icy course, Ana Bucik Jogan dropped a few places, concluding the race in 21st position. Neja Dvornik attacked brilliantly again but lost some time on the final challenging slope. She initially placed third upon crossing the finish line and ultimately secured 8th place, marking her second-best career result in giant slalom. Sara Hector comfortably defended her significant lead from the first run, finishing 1.42 seconds ahead of Albania’s Lara Colturi. Alice Robinson from New Zealand took third place.
Tomorrow’s Event:
The slalom race is scheduled for Sunday in Kranjska Gora.
Post-Race Quotes:
Neja Dvornik:
"I’m satisfied. Both runs were very solid. I’m happy I managed to find a good rhythm in the first run and repeat it in the second, although I couldn’t quite add that extra push. Overall, I’m pleased."
Ana Bucik Jogan:
"Today’s race was tough. I wanted to perform better and attack more aggressively, but this was my maximum today. Tomorrow we face the slalom race."
Denis Ĺ teharnik (Coach):
"I’m very positive about Neja’s recent performances. I know how well she skis, but seeing her demonstrate that in races is excellent. She’s more mature and really shows all her abilities during competitions, which is her biggest improvement. I’m convinced that if Neja stabilizes her performances around 10th place, it will become much easier for her to progress further. She’s also in great slalom form, and I expect a full-on attack tomorrow."