After three runner-up finishes, Jessica Hilzinger breaks through in the second Cerro Catedral slalom. Aihara edges out the Germans

Jessica Hilzinger has finally broken through, seeking answers (and points) on her long trip to Argentina ahead of a World Cup winter in which she hopes to rediscover herself.

The German born in 1997 had already recorded three runner-up finishes this South American Cup season (two of them in giant slalom), and returned to winning ways today with her first-ever victory in the South American circuit, in the second slalom held at Cerro Catedral.

The 1st run had already made the situation clear, with Hilzinger dominant and the exits of Andorran Mijares Ruf, who beat her yesterday, and Swiss skier Good (3rd in race 1); she had no problems in the 2nd run to finish 77 hundredths ahead of home racer Francesca Baruzzi Farriol. The ever-reliable British skier Giselle Gorringe, a guarantee in the SAC, was third, but 3”65 behind, while Frenchwoman Bourgeois again finished just off the podium, ahead of Howeson and compatriots Chalamel and Boric.

Germany was beaten in the men’s race instead: after Dominik Zerhoch, Thursday’s winner, went out at the start, Japanese racer Shiro Aihara (born in 2001) claimed a major victory, holding off Nickco Palamaras, who was one tenth behind halfway through the race and finished 0”07 back. Another German, Lukas Krauss, was third but carried a deficit of 1”14, salvaging the podium by one tenth ahead of Spain’s Barata Mercadal.

Then came Andorrans Cornella Guitart and Gabriel Gutierrez, in 5th and 7th respectively, with the second Spaniard, Barcelo Castellet, in 6th. American Unkovskoy was always in contention and finished eighth. Edoardo Simonelli improved again, taking a solid 16th place, 4”41 behind the day’s winner.

And on Saturday, racing resumes with the first two giant slaloms scheduled at Cerro Catedral.