Holdener, Swenn Larsson share women’s slalom World Cup victory in Killington, Vt. | CBC Sports

Wendy Holdener’s lengthy wait for a slalom victory came to an end on Sunday although the Swiss skier had to share top spot with Anna Swenn Larsson.

It was Holdener’s first slalom win after finishing 30 times on the podium for the unwanted record of most World Cup podium finishes without a win in the discipline. It was a first individual World Cup success for Swenn Larsson of Sweden.

“I don’t know what to say, I am so happy and I have a lot of emotions,” the 29-year-old Holdener said. “It’s a dream come true and I fight really hard for this one so I’m super happy.”

It was a first individual World Cup success for the 31-year-old Swenn Larsson of Sweden.

“I gave it all and to be tied first when I came into the finish was such a relief,” she said. “In the end it’s perfect so now we can share our first win together.”

Holdener had finished the first run 0.21 seconds behind Shiffrin. When Holdener crossed the line to find she had exactly matched the combined time of Swenn Larsson in one minute 42.97 seconds, both skiers appeared shocked and delighted.

They then had to wait for Shiffrin, the overall World Cup champion, who was favoured to claim another win in Killington.

The American had won all five World Cup slaloms held there and emerged victorious in the two season-opening slalom races last weekend.

Shiffrin was fastest in the first run but finished fifth, 0.59 seconds behind the winning duo in 1:43.56.

While Shiffrin hails from Vail, Colo., she can almost consider Killington a hometown race as she honed her skills nearby at the Burke Mountain Academy as a teenager.

Despite being cheered on by a passionate crowd, Shiffrin had a disappointing second run after losing time on the lower half of the course.

Katharina Truppe of Austria was third (1:43.19) and ahead of Olympic champion and last season’s World Cup slalom winner Petra Vlhova of Slovakia (1:43.41).

Toronto’s Ali Nullmeyer was top Canadian, posting a two-run time of 1:44.35 to place 14th of 28 finishers.

Amelia Smart of Invermere, B.C., was 16th in 1:44.47 while Kiara (Kiki) Alexander of Sunshine Villeage, Alta., and Laurence St-Germain of Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, Que., didn’t qualify for the second run after clocking 54.09 and 53.74, respectively, in the opening run.

With the cancellation of European races in Zermatt-Cervinia, the start of the women’s World Cup downhill season reverts to Lake Louise, Alta., next week. Lake Louise has been the traditional opener for the speed season.