Swiss skier Rast dedicates her 1st World Cup GS win to victims of Crans-Montana bar fire

KRANJSKA GORA, Slovenia (AP) — Camille Rast celebrated briefly with both arms in the air after she crossed the finish line. Then she tapped the black mourning band on her left upper arm twice and made the sign of a heart with her hands.

Shortly after earning her maiden career win in a World Cup giant slalom Saturday, the Swiss skier dedicated the victory to the victims of the fire at a Crans-Montana bar.

“This week, in my hometown, there was a tragical accident and I think about those families. We race for them this weekend,” said Rast, who was born in Vétroz, a village about 40 kilometers from Crans-Montana in the Canton of Valais.

“It was a difficult week. But sport has so many emotions, so I tried to do my best and give some good emotions to those people,” she added.

The fire in the crowded bar in the Swiss ski resort left 40 people dead and more than 100 injured during a New Year’s celebration.

Crans-Montana is set to host World Cup speed races for women on Jan. 30-31 and for men on Feb. 1, the last events before the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

Rast's win came a week after she finished second in a GS in Austria for what was then her best career result in the discipline. Her two previous World Cup wins both came in slalom, most recently in January 2025, a month before she added the world title in that discipline.

Rast beat second-placed Julia Scheib of Austria by two-tenths, while Paula Moltzan finished 0.47 behind in third for the American’s second podium result of the season.

Teammate Mikaela Shiffrin was just over a second behind in fifth, behind Olympic GS champion Sara Hector of Sweden, who posted the fastest second-run time.

Nina O’Brien in eighth and Elisabeth Bocock in 14th, matching her career best result from a GS in Sweden in March 2023, rounded off a strong showing by the U.S. ski team.

“It’s a really fun team to be a part of,” Moltzan said. “I mean, I never really know who is going to be quite the fastest in training, but I also feel that way on race day.”

Moltzan raced with a bruised back following a nasty crash in last week’s GS. Her career best result in the discipline is a second place, from the season-opening race in October.

“I am actually happy and a bit relieved. Last week, it was extremely difficult for me. I’m still not feeling maybe a 100%. So to be able to pull it off feels really nice. I have some bruising on my spine," Moltzan said.

“Basically any time I hit a bump doesn’t really feel that good. So lucky that the snow is actually quite smooth here, so it feels less painful.”

Shiffrin holds the women’s record of 22 World Cup wins in the discipline. But with six weeks to go until the Feb. 15 giant slalom at the Olympics, the 2018 gold medalist has not been on a GS podium for 11 World Cup races since January 2024.

Shiffrin suffered from PTSD last season following a horrifying crash at her home race in Killington in November 2024 and has been working her way back up the GS rankings since her return more than two months later.

“Happy and satisfied are different, because I would like to be faster, but I’m taking steps and I feel very good with that,” Shiffrin told Austrian TV after the first leg when asked whether she was 100% happy with her run.

“Last year, I remember watching this race from home and I thought, ‘Oh, I can’t do that.’ So, it’s pretty incredible to be here one year later and to be in the mix with the fastest women right now.”

Scheib, who has won three races this season, extended her lead in the GS standings as her closest challenger, New Zealand’s Alice Robinson, skied out in the first run for a second straight race, this time on a course set by her coach Nils Coberger. Rast is now second, trailing Scheib by 119 points.

Shiffrin remains in the overall lead, 140 points ahead of runner-up Rast.

A slalom on the same hill is scheduled for Sunday. There are no men’s World Cup races this weekend.

AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

Switzerland's Camille Rast, center, winner of an alpine ski, women's World Cup giant slalom, poses on the podium with second placed Austria's Julia Scheib, left, and third placed United States' Paula Moltzan in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

Switzerland's Camille Rast celebrates winning an alpine ski, women's World Cup giant slalom in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

Switzerland's Camille Rast celebrates winning an alpine ski, women's World Cup giant slalom in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

Switzerland's Camille Rast speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women¥s World Cup giant slalom in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

Austria's Julia Scheib speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup giant slalom in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

United States' Paula Moltzan speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup giant slalom in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

United States' Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup giant slalom in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

United States' Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup giant slalom in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

Switzerland's Camille Rast speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup giant slalom in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Carolina hopes its season isn't over.

The Panthers' bid to secure their first postseason berth in a decade fell short Saturday; however, a 16-14 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn't eliminate them from contention.

Now, NFC South rival Atlanta (7-9) will determine whether the Panthers (8-9) or Bucs (8-9) land the final playoff berth in the NFC.

If the Falcons defeat New Orleans on Sunday, Carolina will win the division and host a first-round game next weekend.

If the Saints prevail, Tampa Bay will win the NFC South for the fifth consecutive season and make its sixth straight playoff appearance.

“It's in the hands of another game, and that's not what we were hoping for, but there's still hope,” second-year coach Dave Canales said. “They're still alive, and the locker room certainly is sick about a missed opportunity, but I can't take anything away from the Bucs and the way they played today.”

Carolina, which last made the playoffs in 2017, wasted a chance to clinch the NFC South for a second straight week. The Panthers' offense sputtered in a 17-point loss to the Seattle Seahawks the previous week but overcame a slow start, three turnovers and a couple of costly pass-interference penalties to make it interesting in the closing minutes against the Bucs.

“Missed opportunities, absolutely. These are the championship moments that we live for, that we prepare for, that we talk about. And to not be able to get that done, to not be able to play out best football in these moments ... we're all disappointed,” Canales said.

“We have to find a way to be able to play in these types of games,” the coach added. “I told the group we don't ever have to feel this way again. We can build from this. We have to take the next steps and make sure we show up with the championship mindset.”

Canales said the Panthers will not watch the Falcons-Saints game as a team on Sunday. Quarterback Bryce Young suggested he might not watch it at all.

“I don't know. ... Might just see how it ends up,” said Young, whose 8-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Coker finished a 72-yard drive to enable Carolina to pull within 16-14 with 2:27 remaining. “It's on us for that being our reality. We had an opportunity to take it, and now we have to leave it in someone else's hands. We take ownership in that.”

Regardless of what happens Sunday, a team with a losing record will represent the NFC South in the playoffs.

Canales isn't apologizing.

“It's a grimy, gritty division,” he said. “Between our team, between the Falcons and the Bucs, we have our share of wins against top opponents in this league. We all play a similar style of football, and the pride of it is on just physicality and playing really tough. That's where the division is headed. I'm proud to be part of it.”

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales answers questions after an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales talks to line judge Walter Flowers (32) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young answers questions after an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) throws under pressure during the first half of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)