STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

Croatia’s Zrinka Ljutic won last season’s Longines Rising Star.

And Thursday, at 21, she won a Crystal Globe for the overall World Cup slalom title. Olympian Janica Kostelic, whom she grew up watching as a young aspiring skier, was first.

Ljutic finished tenth, staying just far enough ahead of her closest rival Camille Rast, who finished 14^th. Austria’s Katharina Liensberger finished fifth in the race, but she started out with a greater deficit in the standings. She ended up claiming second with 509 points to Ljutic’s 541 and Rast’s 492.

Marco Odermatt and Federica Brignone shared honors as the top male and female this year.

“It feels amazing. I still haven’t processed it fully. I sort of knew I would win it, I just didn’t know how. I really got nervous just waiting and waiting and watching. Exhausting. I hope I can achieve more—Olympics next year or in the future.”

Ljutic said she got a master’s class in watching Mikaela Shiffrin, who blew past all the others to win the slalom race on a sugary course in Sun Valley.

I have studied Mikaela—she’s one of a kind, like for the skiing is I feel out of this world. And she’s been so constant. And also coming back from this injury. This is a master class and I definitely have a lot to work on coming in the next.”

Several overall World Cup Awards were handed out Thursday:

Zrinka Ljutic kisses her Globe.

PODIUM WORLD CUP SLALOM—Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway, Loic Meillard of Switzerland, Timon Haugan of Norway

PODIUM WORLD CUP SLALOM—Zrinka Ljutic of Croatia, Katharina Linsberger of Austria, Camille Rast of Switzerland

PODIUM WORLD CUP OVERALL—Marco Odermatt of Switzerland, Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway, Loic Meillard of Switzerland

PODIUM WORLD CUP OVERALL—Federica Brignone of Italy, Lara Gut-Behrami of Switzerland, Sofia Goggia of Italy

The crowd got to hear the Italian anthem once again as Federica Brignone raised the Overall World Cup alongside Lara Gut-Behrami and Sofia Goggia.

OVERALL WORLD CHAMPIONS--Marco Odermatt of Switzerland, who claimed the Overall Crystal Globe for the fifth time after earning eight World Cup wins and 17 podiums in the 2024/25 season. Also, Italy's Federica Brignone, who had 10 World Cup victories and 15 podiums in Downhill Super G and Giant Slalom. Lara Gut-Behrami of Switzerland finished second, followed by Sofia Goggia of Italy. Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway was second and Loic Meillard of Switzerland was third on the men's side.

PODIUM MEN’S NATION CUP—Switzerland

PODIUM NATION OVERALL—Switzerland

PODIUM OVERALL CONSTRUCTORS CHAMPIONSHIP--Head

The Swiss team sings the Swiss anthem as Marco Odermatt claims yet another Crystal Globe.