The next two down the hill, Katharina Liensberger and Paula Moltzan, are both unable to improve on Vlhová’s time – although Austrian Liensberger came close just 0.08 seconds behind.
Swiss skier Wendy Holdener starts with an advantage of 0.22 seconds on Vlhová and appears to be maintaining that advantage all the way – but she loses time at the most crucial moment, in the final sector, and slots into third.
There are four top skiers to go.
Slovenia’s Andreja Slokar starts with a big time advantage, but like Holdener before her drops a big amount of time towards the bottom of the course. She’s into fourth.
Three to go, starting with the Beijing 2022 giant slalom champion Sara Hector of Sweden.
Hector will take a 0.6-second advantage into this second run, a considerable window; she extends that over the Slovakian Vlhová but she has missed a gate! There will be no technical double for Hector and Vlhová celebrates a likely medal.
Swiss Michelle Gisin up next, with 0.69 seconds on Vlhová at the start house. But she’s lost a bunch of time in the middle of the course and is in the red time splits!
Gisin will finish off the podium – so one top skier left; the first-run leader Lena Duerr of Germany who also happened to be the first skier down the course this morning.
Duerr has a big lead, 0.72 seconds, before losing two tenths in a flatter segment. Another three tenths lost heading into the final push for the line, can she hold on for gold?
No! She will be off the podium!
Petra Vlhová is the provisional gold medallist with 28 skiers left to race. Liensberger is currently second; Holdener third.
Vlhová explodes in sheer delight.
