Petra Vlhová finished 16th in the World Cup slalom in Levi on Saturday marking her return to the discipline after missing nearly three years due to knee surgery.
The Slovak skier, who triumphed six times at the Finnish resort in her career, sat 14th after the opening run with a deficit of 1.44 seconds behind first-run leader Emma Aicher of Germany. Vlhová lost additional ground in the second run on the heavily iced slope, ultimately finishing 2.43 seconds behind Aicher, who secured her maiden World Cup victory in the discipline.
Stumped on the Steep Pitch
Conditions in Levi challenged the entire field on a brutally slick course. Vlhová started strongly on the upper flats but struggled to maintain momentum through the steep third sector, where technical errors and a conservative approach cost her crucial time.
“I felt okay between—on the flats, but in the steep section I was a bit passive and stiff, so I was just waiting there for what would come. That’s where that time loss showed,” Petra Vlhová said after the opening run, speaking to JOJ Šport.
Her coaching staff pointed to the demanding nature of competitive racing compared to training.
“Coach Mario Rafetzeder told us that Petra didn’t feel as comfortable yet in the steep section as she did on the flats. She needs a bit more race rhythm, which you cannot simulate in training. In any case, we can consider this a quality race for her slalom return,” Thomas Sykora, former slalom skier, said recounting comments from coach Mario Rafetzeder to ORF.
“As she entered the steep section, her upper body twisted a bit.” “And that is precisely where you need to deliver your best performance, those extra ten percent,” Charlie Guest, former British skier, said on TNT Sports.
Progress After Long Absence
Vlhová returned to the World Cup circuit on October 24, 2026, in Sölden, finishing 23rd in giant slalom 1,008 days after tearing her anterior cruciate ligament in a fall at Jasná. Her father, Igor Vlha, expressed satisfaction with her mental state and physical recovery following the Levi race.
“The ice was a bit slippery and in conditions like this I am not entirely confident yet. In training it went better for me, but racing is something else. I need more time so that my technique gets better too,” Vlhová said after completing both runs.
Aicher claimed the victory with a total time of 1:52.62 minutes, ahead of runner-up Lara Colturi of Albania and third-placed Katharina Truppe of Austria.