Rast dedicates slalom win to Swiss bar fire victims

Switzerland's Camille Rast said she was racing for the victims of the New Year's Eve fire in her hometown of Crans-Montana as she ended Mikaela Shiffrin's winning start to the World Cup slalom season.

Rast, 26, produced a stunning second run in Sunday's slalom in Kranjska Gora to pip Shiffrin by 0.14 seconds, following up Saturday's debut World Cup giant slalom victory at the same Slovenian resort.

US star Shiffrin, 30, had won the opening five slalom events which, when added to her victory in the final slalom of last season, equalled her own record of six consecutive wins in the discipline.

"I gave it everything I had this weekend - achieving the double [slalom and giant slalom] was extraordinary," said Rast, who added: "I think about all those families - we raced for them this weekend."

A devastating fire at Le Constellation bar in the Swiss ski resort killed at least 40 people and injured 119 others.

Bodies continue to be identified and a criminal investigation is under way.

"We can't imagine how it is, but it's for sure terribly hard," Rast told BBC's Ski Sunday.

"I hope they will find the support with their family and everybody around. And I hope that the sport will bring a little smile on their face."

Rast finished a close second to Shiffrin in the previous World Cup slalom event in Austria but was not to be denied a second time, making sure the World Cup's greatest skier could not add to her record tally of 106 wins in all disciplines.

Shiffrin was just 0.1 seconds behind leader Rast after the first run, but set an imposing time in the second that opened a 1.69secs lead over the rest of the field.

But Rast went even faster to beat Shiffrin into second place.

"I know Shiffrin is really fast and I had to be really, really fast to beat her. I saw her start and I was like 'mmm, OK, that's good, that's really good', but I just tried to give my best, and it worked," she said.

There are two more World Cup slalom events - in Flachau, Austria, on 13 January, and Spindleruv Mlyn in the Czech Republic on 25 January - before the Winter Olympics begin in Milan-Cortina on 6 February.

Great Britain had two cross-country skiers finish in the top 10 of a World Cup event for the first time in Val di Fiemme, Italy, on Sunday.

Britain's Joe Davies, 24, was sixth - his best World Cup finish - while team-mate Andrew Musgrave, 35, was eighth in the men's 10km mass start free, more commonly known as the 'Final Climb'.

Musgrave finished 15th and Davies 16th in the overall Tour de Ski standings - the first time the British team has had two skiers in the top 20.

Davies told BBC Sport: "To have the results we've had this Tour de Ski means so much to us all. It's not only a testament to the work we've put in, but also to the belief that British skiing belongs at the top."

The British cross country team for the 2026 Winter Olympics is expected to be announced on 23 January.

Meanwhile, Great Britain narrowly missed out on a first World Cup podium of the season in the men's four-man bobsleigh, finishing fourth in Winterberg, Germany.