Žan Kranjec

Slovenian Alpine ski racers kept their contact to the world's best this season, owing to Ilka Štuhec in the women's World Cup and Žan Kranjec in the men's competitions. Štuhec finished as the runner-up in the overall downhill standings and Kranjec placed third in the final giant slalom standings.

Beijing – Slovenia did not make it past the quarter-final of the mixed team parallel slalom on the last day of the Beijing Olympics, finishing 7th out of 15 teams overall after being eliminated by Austria, who went on to win gold.

Kranjska Gora – The Slovenian Olympic Committee (OKS) has hosted a reception for Slovenian athletes who have already returned from China, including medal-winning ski jumpers Urša Bogataj and Nika Križnar, and snowboarders Gloria Kotnik and Tim Mastnak.

Beijing – Slovenia’s Žan Kranjec won silver in the Olympic men’s giant slalom on Sunday, in what is his first Olympic medal and the sixth for Slovenia at the Beijing Olympics. Swiss Marco Odermatt won gold 19 hundredths of a second ahead of Kranjec, with France’s Mathieu Faivre finishing third.

Innsbruck – Slovenia’s Žan Kranjec finished 3rd as the men’s giant slalom on the Rettenbach glacier above Sölden, Austria opened the Alpine Ski World Cup season on Sunday. The race was won by Marco Odermatt of Switzerland, and Austria’s Roland Leitinger finished second.

Bormio – Slovenian Alpine skier Žan Kranjec finished second in a World Cup giant slalom race in Italy’s Santa Caterina after clocking in the best time in the first run. The race was won by Croatia’s Filip Zubčić.

Although 69 hundredths ahead of Zubčić after the first run, Kranjec’s second-run pefrormance was not strong enough to secure him his third World Cup win.