Lena Dürr starts strong: Third podium in Levi for the ski racer!

Lena Dürr starts strong: Third podium in Levi for the ski racer!

Levi (dpa) – A brilliant start for the German ski racer Lena Dürr! The Bayern athlete ushered in the new season with flying colors with an impressive third place at the World Cup Slalom in Levi, Finland. Only the American ski star Mikaela Shiffrin and the Austrian Katharina Liensberger were able to leave them behind. Dürr was only four hundredths of a second shy of second place - an exciting race that made the fans' hearts beat faster!

“The beginning has been made,” Dürr cheered on Bayerischer Rundfunk, visibly relieved and happy about her podium finish. "I'm happy that I was able to finish on the podium. There's still room for improvement and that's good to know." Her confidence gives hope for an exciting season in which she wants to continue to improve.

Emma Aicher surprises with a strong performance

But it wasn't just Dürr who made the German team cheer! 21-year-old Emma Aicher surprised everyone with a sensational ninth place. Thanks to an outstanding second run, in which she achieved the fastest running time, she fought her way up 13 places. “That was really fun,” beamed Aicher after the race. "It just felt good. I'm very satisfied." A promising start for the young athlete!

On Sunday the men will be on the slopes - and here too there is reason for hope for the German Ski Association. With Linus Straßer, one of the favorites, the Germans go into the race with a chance of a podium and even a win. Dürr, on the other hand, already has an impressive record in Levi: In the last three years she has always finished in the top 4 in six races. Shiffrin, on the other hand, put another exclamation mark with her 98th World Cup victory and is getting closer and closer to the magic number of 100. She now has eight victories to her name in Levi and her herd of reindeer continues to grow!