Austria’s Julia Scheib bagged a first-ever World Cup victory by winning the season-opening women’s giant slalom in Soelden on Saturday, with US star Mikaela Shiffrin finishing fourth.

Scheib had led after the first run on the Rettenbach glacier and held her nerve for a combined winning time of 2min 16.51sec, finishing 0.58sec ahead of American Paula Moltzan in second.

Swiss veteran Lara Gut-Behrami rounded out the podium, 1.11sec off the pace.

Shiffrin, who sustained an abdominal puncture wound last November that saw her miss most of the season, missed out on a podium place by 0.31sec.

American Nina O’Brien, 15th fastest in the first leg, laid down the fastest run in the second to hold the lead as eight skiers failed to dislodge her.

Norway’s Thea Louise Stjernesund eventually managed

See Full Page