Prior Lake’s Paula Moltzan takes third in World Cup slalom in Andorra

SOLDEU, ANDORRA — Prior Lake native Paula Moltzan finished third in a World Cup slalom Sunday in Soldeu, Andorra, her best result of the season.

Moltzan, a 2022 Olympian, was 0.83 seconds behind winner Anna Swenn Larsson of Sweden. It was the second World Cup slalom podium of Moltzan’s career, coming less than 14 months after she was runner-up to American teammate Mikaela Shiffrin at a night race in Austria.

“It’s kind of been a season with highs and lows. So, happy to finally take a step on the podium,” Moltzan said. “The emotions are all there and I’m super happy.”

Swenn Larsson earned her second career victory Sunday in the first women’s World Cup slalom in nearly 13 years with neither Shiffrin nor Petra Vlhova competing.

The American star and her Slovakian rival, whose gripping duels have been dominating women’s slalom racing for years, are both out because of knee injuries.

“It’s unbelievable, and for sure it’s sad that not the two queens are here, but I’m so happy to grab a victory,” Swenn Larsson said.

While Shiffrin still hopes to return over the next few weeks, Vlhova had her season ended when she tore ligaments in her right knee in January.

Swenn Larsson defended her first-run lead and beat Croatian prodigy Zrinka Ljutic by 0.35 seconds. After finishing, she lay down on the snow for 15 seconds.

“I didn’t see much of green lights in the first half of the season, but I have been feeling really well lately,” said the Swede, who has been hampered by persistent lower-back problems but secured a World Cup podium spot with a third-place finish in Jasna in January.

“From not qualifying and being 24th [at slaloms last November] in Levi, it’s a journey. I’m so proud of myself and of my team that worked really hard to get me back in shape,” she said.

Swenn Larsson previously shared a win with Wendy Holdener in Killington, Vt., in November 2022 and was one of just five starters in Sunday’s race who had won a World Cup slalom before.

“It’s a dream come true. Even if it was so nice to share the first victory with Wendy, it’s special to stand on the top by yourself as well,” she said.

Shiffrin has missed eight of the 117 slaloms since. The American, who holds the World Cup record of 58 slalom wins, and Vlhova combined to win 80 of those 117 events.

Shiffrin leads the season standings after winning five of the nine slaloms so far. Her only remaining challenger for the globe, Lena Duerr, trails the American by 188 points with only two events remaining. A race win is worth 100 points.

Duerr, who needed to finish no lower than ninth Sunday to stay in contention, was 1.38 seconds behind Swenn Larsson in sixth.

After her first run, Duerr said she was “not at all” affected by thoughts about her chances of closing in on leader Shiffrin.

“It’s obvious people start asking me about it with Petra and Mikaela missing, but for me the approach to the race is exactly the same. It doesn’t change anything for me,” Duerr said.

The penultimate slalom of the season is scheduled for Are, Sweden, on March 10, a week before the World Cup finals start in Austria.