Giant Slalom, Women

Two days before this event, the French Goitschel sisters, Christine and Marielle had finished 1-2 in the slalom. In the giant slalom, Christine Goitschel was the third skier off, with the lead at the time held by the Austrian two-time downhill bronze medalist, Traudl Hecher. Goitschel posted 1:53.11 to move into the lead, a mark that was equaled three skiers later by American Jean Saubert, who had also won a bronze medal behind the Goitschels in the slalom. Marielle Goitschel was near the bottom of the seeded skiers, starting 14th, and her time of 1:52.24 moved her into a lead she would hold to win the gold medal. Through 2008, siblings have won gold-silver 11 times in an Olympic individual event, but with their performance in Innsbruck, the Goitschels are the only siblings to have done this twice. Austrian favorite Marianne Jahn, World Champion in 1962 in the slalom and giant slalom, placed only 13th.