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Saturday 11 March 2017
Shiffrin wins World Cup giant slalom at Squaw Valley

OLYMPIC VALLEY, Ca-
lif. (AP) — Mikaela Shiffrin
covered her mouth with
her glove in disbelief after
crossing the finish line. Fi-
nally believing, she tossed
her right ski pole into the
air.
Usually so stoic, the Ameri-
can standout let her emo-
tions loose. With good rea-
son: This was a victory on
U.S. snow.
Shiffrin used a strong burst
near the end to win a giant
slalom race as the World
Cup returned to Squaw
Valley for the first time
since 1969. She finished in
a combined time of 2 min-
utes, 16.42 seconds on a
warm Friday, eclipsing Fed-
erica Brignone of Italy by
0.07 seconds.
Tessa Worley of France
was third, 0.86 seconds
back. Worley’s lead over
Shiffrin in the season-long
GS standings shrank to 80
points with just one event
remaining in the discipline. Mikaela Shiffrin reacts after the second run in the women’s World Cup giant slalom competition Friday, March 10, 2017, in Olympic
Valley, Calif.
This was Shiffrin’s fourth ca- Associated Press
reer World Cup GS win —
not a bad early birthday ter what, I have to attack “All these girls are going In addition, Shiffrin in- ebrations for a few days.
present. like crazy,” said Shiffrin, for wins. I’m so happy with creased her lead in the There’s too much work
“I just knew that no mat- who turns 22 on Monday. how that went today.” race for the overall World ahead. The Olympic slalom
Cup title to 278 points over champion has a slalom
Slovenia’s Ilka Stuhec, who race Saturday at Squaw
crashed in the first run. So- Valley before heading to
fia Goggia of Italy moved Aspen, Colorado, next
into third place and is 366 week for the World Cup Fi-
points behind Shiffrin with nals.
five races left. When asked about her
Goggia had one of the post-race exultation, Shiffrin
more entertaining final runs said she did that because,
of the afternoon when she “I’m in the USA.” She then
hit a gate and lost her left screamed to the partisan
ski pole. She quickly recov- crowd: “You guys are so
ered and didn’t miss a beat awesome! Thank you for
as she finished seventh. coming out here!”
Worley could’ve clinched It’s been a banner season
the GS crystal globe with a for Shiffrin, who earned
victory. It was weighing on her 30th career World Cup
her mind. win. She also won her third
“For sure, it is some pres- straight slalom title at world
sure,” said the 27-year-old championships last month.
Worley, who won a GS Now, she’s trying to join
competition at Killington, some elite company in Phil
Vermont, in November. Mahre, Tamara McKinney,
“Before every race, be- Bode Miller and Lindsey
fore every run, I’m trying to Vonn as the only Americans
clean my mind and stay fo- to win the overall crown.
cused on the main thing — “Even having a 270-some-
and the main thing is to ski. thing lead going into the
“If I don’t ski, I don’t get last (five) races, that’s big,”
anything. I’m trying to ski as said Shiffrin, who captured
fast as I can. I have no re- a GS title at Squaw during
grets this season. We’ll see the 2014 U.S. champion-
if it goes how I want it to go ships. “At same time, I don’t
or not.” feel like I’ve done anything
Shiffrin will put off any cel- yet.q