Croatia’s Zrinka Ljutić on top of skiing world after new victory

Zrinka Ljutic (CRO) (Photo credit: Erich Spiess / Red Bull Content Pool)

Croatian skier Zrinka Ljutić has become the world’s leading slalom skier and overall leader in the FIS Ski World Cup standings after a remarkable victory in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, on Sunday.

At just 20 years old, Ljutić’s triumph in the slalom was her second consecutive World Cup win, a feat that has elevated her to the top of the skiing world.

A Stunning Performance

Ljutić delivered two exceptional runs, finishing with a combined time of 1:39.62. She edged out Switzerland’s Wendy Holdener by 0.16 seconds, with Sweden’s Anna Swenn Larsson taking third place, more than a second behind.

Starting the second run tied for the lead with Holdener, Ljutić put in a stellar performance with a time of 50.82. Her daring and precision, especially with a higher start number, secured her spot on the podium’s top step.

This victory comes just a week after Ljutić clinched her first career win in Semmering, Austria, where she also started with the number two bib.

Impressively, her win in Kranjska Gora is the first-ever for Croatia at this venue and comes on Janica Kostelić’s birthday—a fitting homage to the legendary Croatian skier.

Ljutić’s achievements have brought back memories of Kostelić’s glory days. Last week’s win was the first for Croatian women’s skiing in 18 years, a milestone that speaks volumes about Ljutić’s growing influence in the sport.

With 456 points, Ljutić now leads the World Cup standings, overtaking Sweden’s Sara Hector and Switzerland’s Camille Rast. Hector placed sixth in Slovenia, while Rast finished fourth, relinquishing the red leader’s bib to Ljutić.

Speaking after her victory, Ljutić was elated:

“It’s incredible—I’m speechless. I felt amazing on the course and gave it my all. I knew I had to push a bit more before the finish and hoped it would be enough. Thank you to everyone who came to support me; this is just the beginning!”

Ljutić has been making waves in Croatian skiing for years. She represents the Zagreb-based ski club Žuti Mačak and gained international attention by winning gold at the Junior World Championships in Canada in 2022.

Earlier this year, she also claimed second place in the Giant Slalom in Slovakia.