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SPORTS Saturday 31 december 2016
Shiffrin wins

slalom for 3rd

win in 3 days

ERIC WILLEMSEN frin under pressure with a
Associated Press strong second run, but the
SEMMERING, Austria (AP) Slovak acknowledged “it
— For once, even Olym- was not enough, again.
pic slalom champion Mi- “With Mikaela you never
kaela Shiffrin couldn’t be- know what happens. I am
lieve what she had just getting close, but I still need
achieved. more training,” said Velez
The American reacted by Zuzulova, who has finished
holding her right hand to runner-up to the American
her mouth in surprise after for the past three slaloms.
a spectacular final run in After winning two giant
front of 13,500 spectators slaloms the previous days,
secured victory in a World Shiffrin continued her domi-
Cup night slalom on Thurs- nance in slalom by landing
day. Shiffrin managed to her 23th career win in the Mikaela Shiffrin reacts at finish line after winning an alpine ski, women’s World Cup slalom in Sem-
overcome several mistakes discipline. mering, Austria, Thursday, Dec. 29, 2016. Associated Press
and a 0.33-second deficit She has won all 12 World any other run I’ve ever 215 points over defend- Her 26th career win puts
at the last split time to pro- Cup slaloms she competed skied in slalom,” Shiffrin said, ing champion Lara Gut Shiffrin in shared 12th posi-
duce a resounding winning in since February 2015, hav- as she asked for a chair to of Switzerland, who usu- tion — with Michela Figini of
margin of 0.64 seconds. ing sat out five races with a sit down on while waiting in ally doesn’t compete in sla- Switzerland and Tina Maze
To make things even sweet- right knee injury last season. front of the leaderboard. loms. of Slovenia — on the all-
er, it was her third World That two-month layoff also “The past races, it has been Shiffrin’s feat of winning time women’s race winners
Cup triumph in as many cost her the season title in mostly nerves. When you three races in three days is list, but leaves her still 50
days. slalom, which she had won get to the start, all of sud- not unique. Lindsey Vonn wins short of Vonn’s record.
“Today was really crazy. It the previous three years. den I get to feel really, re- has managed it on four In the season’s slalom
was a fight,” Shiffrin said. “I To keep her winning streak ally sick,” she said. “Today, occasions — at Haus im standings, Shiffrin leads with
had a mistake and I knew I running, Shiffrin had to over- actually, I am not sick but Ennstal in 2010, and at the maximum 400 points,
just had to keep going, go- come stomach problems. the past days I have been Lake Louise in 2011, 2012 110 clear of Velez Zuzulova
ing, going.” She had been far from sick, so I wasn’t really sure and 2015. Austrian great and 140 ahead of Holden-
Enjoying a slim opening- clean in her opening run, if I was sick like you have Annemarie Moser-Proell er.
run lead, Shiffrin comfort- coming close to missing a the flu or sick because of even won four races in The women’s World Cup
ably beat Veronika Velez gate twice and being 0.1 nerves. I was OK for the three days in Grindelwald, continues with three more
Zuzulova of Slovakia, while off the lead before finding second part of my runs, so Switzerland, in Jan. 1975. technical events — a sla-
Wendy Holdener of Swit- enough speed in the bot- then it’s good.” Those races included a lom in Zagreb, Croatia, on
zerland was 1.54 seconds tom section to beat Velez With Thursday’s win, Shif- combined event, with the Tuesday, followed by a GS
back in third. Zuzulova by 0.09. frin extended her lead in downhill portion also count- and slalom in Maribor, Slo-
Velez Zuzulova put Shif- “I think I fought harder than
the overall standings to ing as a separate race. venia, at the weekend.

Roger Federer says he hopes

to play ‘2 to 3 more years’

PERTH, Australia (AP) — produce upon his return, my mindset is for the long
Roger Federer says he but that retirement isn’t term.” Federer hasn’t won
hopes to play for at least part of his thought process. a Grand Slam singles title
another two to three years “Only when I get asked do I since Wimbledon in 2012
and that his “mindset is for think of things like this,” said and, with his injury, has
the long term” in assessing Federer, who has 17 Grand slipped to No. 16 in the
his tennis future. Federer, Slam singles titles, the most world rankings.
who has not played since of any male player. “Winning titles is a beautiful In this July 8, 2016, file photo, Roger Federer of Switzerland re-
re-injuring his surgically re- “I don’t see it like this, that feeling; rankings at the mo- turns to Milos Raonic of Canada during their men’s semifinal sin-
paired left knee at Wim- this could be my last Aus- ments ... completely sec- gles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London.
bledon in July, will make tralian trip, even though ondary,” Federer said Fri- Associated Press
his tournament return in it might very well be,” he day. “As long as I’m healthy day night at Perth Arena. Vandeweghe and Jack
the Jan. 1-7 Hopman Cup added. “I’m really posi- and injury free I think I can Defending champions Aus- Sock take on Czech Re-
team event at Perth, repre- tive. I took these six months really do some damage.” tralia, represented by Daria public’s Lucie Hradecka
senting Switzerland with Be- off so I would be playing Federer and Bencic begin Gavrilova and Nick Kyrgios, and Adam Pavlasek earlier
linda Bencic. The 35-year- for hopefully another two play against Britain, repre- begin play Sunday night Sunday in the men’s singles,
old Federer said Friday he’s to three years, not just an- sented by Heather Wilson against Spain. women’s singles and mixed
not sure of the form he’ll other six months or so. So and Dan Evans, on Mon- Americans Coco doubles format.