Paula Moltzan (USA) nearly clinched her first-ever World Cup win on Saturday, holding onto the top spot in the women's giant slalom race at the Spindleruv Mlyn ski resort in Czechia — until the final skier, Sara Hector (SWE), swooped in to take the victory, edging Moltzan by 0.18 seconds for a final time of 2:23.86. 

Hector posted the fastest first run, but was trailing Moltzan at the third time check of the second. She blasted through the last section of the race nearly half a second faster than the American to clinch the win. It was her first win of the season and eighth career Cup podium for the reigning Olympic GS champion.

“It always feels amazing to have a win in the bag, but you always have to keep working,” Hector said afterwards. “There’s so many strong girls as you can see today, there’s a lot of nice turns out there. I’m super happy that I crossed the finish line first.”

Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) had yet to find the podium in giant slalom this season, but cruised to a third place finish (+0.23) at the site of her first ever World Cup appearance in 2011. Saturday's result marked the first giant slalom podium finish in two years for the double Olympic champion, who sustained a traumatic puncture injury after colliding with a gate at an event in Killington, Vermont in November 2024.

Shiffrin put an end to her two year GS podium drought, moving into fourth in the GS standings and maintaining her lead in the overall.

Nina O'Brien (USA) finished fifth after a DNF in Kronplatz and AJ Hurt (USA) placed eighth, putting four Americans in the top 10. It was an emphatic stamp on the final giant slalom Cup race before the opening ceremony of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

Julia Scheib (AUT) retained her red bib but DNF'd after slipping out of a turn. It was her second DNF of an otherwise dominant season where she has collected four victories. Still, Scheib’s lead in the GS standings over Camille Rast (SUI) and Hector has closed to under 100 points. Moltzan, the reigning world bronze medalist in giant slalom, sits in sixth in both the GS and overall standings.

The women return for a slalom race on Sunday.