Brem beats Gut to win women’s World Cup GS

COURCHEVEL, France – Austrian skier Eva-Maria Brem safely protected her lead from the first leg to win a World Cup giant slalom race on Sunday, picking up her second career win and denying Swiss racer Lara Gut a third straight race victory.

Gut, who overtook American Lindsey Vonn for the overall lead, finished tied for second place with Norway’s Nina Loeseth, who secured a career-best result.

“I’d like to continue like this until March and not stop here,” Gut said after her 24th career podium and first in Courchevel. “I could have done better in the first run, the second run I was just trying not to think about the tiredness in my legs.”

It’s been hectic for Vonn and Gut in the French Alps, first in Val d’Isere and then here for the GS.

Gut won Saturday’s downhill, which Vonn failed to finish after skiing off course. She also won Friday’s super-combined, beating Vonn by one-hundredth of a second.

She got the upper hand again this time.

Vonn was 10th in the morning first run but finished 13th with sunny conditions fading on the Emile-Allais course.