Full Breakdown
Paula Moltzan Claims First World Cup Victory in Sölden Giant Slalom
By Drooid · · How we work
Season-Opening Giant Slalom: Core Event
American Paula Moltzan, 32, captured her first Alpine skiing World Cup win in the season-opening giant slalom at Sölden, Austria. She moved from fifth after the first run to a combined time of 2 min 14.82 sec, edging Albania’s Lara Colturi, who posted 2 min 14.83 sec – a margin of 0.01 sec. The result made Moltzan the oldest woman to win her inaugural World Cup race.
Career Background and Equipment Switch
Moltzan debuted on the World Cup circuit in 2012 and, despite ten podium finishes, had never stood on the top step before this race. After being dropped from the U.S. Ski Team a decade ago, she returned to the circuit and earned a bronze medal in the team-combined event at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympics. In May 2026 she ended an 18-year partnership with Rossignol and signed with Van Deer–Red Bull Sports, becoming the first woman to race for the Austrian brand. Both outlets note that the equipment change was a “bold late-career” move that paid off.
Race Details and Statistics
- Winning margin: 0.01 sec over Colturi.
- Second-run time: 1 min 7.86 sec, the fastest of the day.
- Podium: Emma Aicher (Germany) finished third, 0.52 sec behind Moltzan.
- Mikaela Shiffrin, a U.S. teammate, led after the first run but fell to seventh after a mistake in foggy conditions (theguardian; nbcsports).
Official Reactions
Moltzan described the victory as “a fairy-tale” moment and emphasized the summer work on her new skis as a “pinnacle” payoff. She also highlighted the broader significance of her win for U.S. women’s skiing, noting that the United States now has two athletes inside the top seven after the race.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It feels like a fairy tale right now,” — American Paula Moltzan — American Paula Moltzan
- “It feels like a fairytale right now, pretty unreal,” — American Paula Moltzan — American Paula Moltzan
- “It feels like a lifetime for this to come and happen,” — American Paula Moltzan — American Paula Moltzan