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SPORTSFriday 27 November 2015
Vonn, Shiffrin may be in for robust rivalry this season
PAT GRAHAM
AP Sports Writer
ASPEN, Colo. (AP) — Over
hot chocolate, Lindsey
Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin
recently had their first real
heart-to-heart chat.
Among the topics dis-
cussed in a New Zealand
coffee shop were family,
friends, “girl stuff” — as Shif- a feeling it could be one
frin put it — and, of course,
ski racing.
Throughout the season,
these two American team-
mates could very well be at
the top of the overall stand-
ings. Might come down to
the very end, too.
No bitterness, they main-
tain. No nastiness, either.
Just a robust rivalry.
“How will it be going head-
to-head? It’s exciting to
find out,” said the 20-year-
old Shiffrin, who will be a
big favorite in a World Cup
giant slalom race Friday
on home snow, along with
two slalom events over the
weekend. “If we were to
go head-to-head, I have
of those things where she’s
not going to give it to me
and I’m sure as heck not
going to give it to her.”
For years, Shiffrin was tout-
ed as the next Vonn. Well,
Shiffrin’s fulfilled those lofty than Shiffrin, Vonn wants
expectations, capturing
the slalom title at the 2013
world championships,
Olympic gold in the slalom
at the 2014 Sochi Games
and then defending her
world title last February in
Beaver Creek, Colorado.
This season, Shiffrin ventures
into Vonn’s territory by add-
ing some speed events,
beginning next week with
a super-G at Lake Louise,
Alberta. Among those who
believe Shiffrin’s ready for
the jump to speed is Vonn.
“She’s just a great skier and the all-time winningest fe-
she’s obviously extremely
talented,” said the 31-year-
old Vonn, who’s healed
from breaking her left ankle
three months ago in train-
ing and a bite on her right
thumb that required stitch-
es after breaking up a fight
between her dogs. “She
has such a great touch
on snow and such a solid
technique.
“I’m sure she’s going to do
phenomenal in speed as
well.”
High praise from Vonn, the
four-time overall champi-
on. Then again, she doesn’t
see this rivalry as anything
but healthy.
Being a decade older
to be a “resource” for her
young compatriot. “We
In this Dec. 3, 2014, file photo, Lindsey Vonn, left, of the U.S.
races down the hill during the second training run for the World
Cup women’s downhill ski race in Lake Louise, Alberta; and
in this Jan. 13, 2015, file photo, United States’s Mikaela Shiffrin,
right, competes during the first run of an alpine ski women’s
World Cup slalom in Flachau, Austria.
Associated Press
both have a lot of respect a lot.”
for each other,” said Vonn, With defending overall
champion Anna Fenninger
male World Cup racer who sidelined by a knee injury
will compete only in the GS and Tina Maze taking a
this weekend. “We’ll see break, that opens the door
how the season shapes for a Vonn-Shiffrin show-
up. It would be really great down.
for ski racing if two Ameri- “If she beats me for the
cans were fighting for the overall, you know what,
overall.” The paths of Shif- cheers to that,” Shiffrin said.
frin and Vonn haven’t “It’s like, ‘You’re a really
crossed all that much over good ski racer and a really
the years. That’s partly be- good athlete and there’s
cause of Vonn’s serious a reason you’re winning.’
knee injury, which kept her Hopefully, I’ll be able to
out of the Sochi Games. give her some good com-
And when Vonn has been petition.”
back, they’ve traveled in Off to a great start. Shif-
different circles since Shif- frin finished second in the
frin works so closely with the giant slalom last month
technical side. in Soelden, Austria. Valu-
That’s why Vonn invited able points, especially with
Shiffrin out for cocoa dur- Vonn skipping it to give her
ing training over the sum- ankle more time to mend.
mer. A chance to get bet- Shiffrin believes she can
ter acquainted. be on the podium in all
Vonn’s take on their meet- three races this weekend.
ing: “It was a really nice No American has finished
conversation. It wasn’t in the top three during a
anything in particular. Just World Cup race at Aspen
kind of a nice, easy con- since Julia Mancuso was
versation.” third in 2011. What’s more,
Shiffrin was flattered a skier no American has won at
she’s long considered one this venue since Tamara
of her idols wanted to sit McKinney in 1981.
down with her. “The podium is definitely
“Lindsey’s made more sac- a possibility. Maybe more
rifices than anybody else in than a possibility,” Shiffrin
order to get the job done,” said. “But things have to
Shiffrin said. “I respect that line up.”q