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A18 SPORTS
Saturday 9 March 2019

Vlhova wins giant slalom, Shiffrin closes in on season title

SPINDLERUV MLYN, Czech
Republic (AP) — Mikaela
Shiffrin closed in on her first
women’s World Cup giant
slalom trophy Friday after
placing third in the penul-
timate race of the season,
which was won by world
champion Petra Vlhova.
Shiffrin leads her Slovakian
rival by 97 points in the dis-
cipline standings with only
one event remaining at
next week’s World Cup Fi-
nals in Soldeu, Andorra.
A race win is worth 100
points.
“I think there is still some-
thing possible at the finals
so I won’t celebrate yet.
But I am really happy to
have this kind of advan-
tage,” said Shiffrin, who
has already successfully
defended her overall and
slalom titles.
After three overall and six
slalom championships, it
would be the 10th career
crystal globe and third of
the season for Shiffrin, who
is also in the hunt for the
super-G title.
“Slalom, overall and GS are
my biggest goals this year
so it’s an incredible place Slovakia’s Petra Vlhova celebrates winning an alpine ski, women’s World Cup giant slalom, in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic,
to be right now,” the Ameri- Friday, March. 8, 2019.
can said. Associated Press
Vlhova built on her com- in Crans-Montana and So- frin said. “To compete with cipline in Semmering and vantage over Rebensburg
manding first-run lead of chi to recharge following the best, with Vicky and Maribor this season. Vlhova and even trailed the former
nearly a half-second to the world championships Petra, I had to do better on added gold at last month’s Olympic champion from
beat Viktoria Rebensburg and a parallel city event in everything.” world championships, Germany by 0.15 halfway
of Germany by 0.11 sec- Sweden. After finishing her second where she and Rebensburg through her run, but skied a
onds. Returning to the resort run well ahead of the com- finished 1-2. solid bottom section to get
Shiffrin, who was 1.33 be- where she started her World petition, Shiffrin bent for- On Friday, Vlhova im- the green light at the finish.
hind in fourth after the Cup career at the age of ward and briefly screamed pressed in both runs with a “It was not easy but I did it
opening run, posted the 15 in 2011, Shiffrin struggled for relief. strong recovery from a mis- and it’s something amaz-
fastest time in the final run in the opening run. She “The second run was much, take. ing,” said Vlhova, loudly
and improved to third, 0.60 started aggressively and much better so I am really “I knew I did a big mistake cheered by many of her
behind Vlhova. Tessa Wor- led Vlhova by 0.13 at the happy with that,” she said. but I had a really good Slovakian fans. “It’s some-
ley of France, who was run- first split time, but failed to “So happy to have a po- feeling in the steep part,” thing special because I feel
ner-up in the GS standings find a smooth rhythm in the dium.” she said between runs. “In like at home here. Those
before the race, finished rest of her run and trailed Initially a slalom specialist, the last part I just let my skis fans (are) something amaz-
seventh to drop out of con- by 1.33 in fourth. Vlhova has evolved into a go and I was really fast.” ing.”
tention. “When I saw the video leading giant slalom con- Vlhova repeated the feat A slalom on the same
It was Shiffrin’s first race in 17 (from the first run) I was tender, winning her first in the final run. She quickly course is scheduled for
days after sitting out events pretty disappointed,” Shif- World Cup races in the dis- lost four-tenths of her ad- Saturday.q

Halep wins, Stephens ousted in 2nd round at Indian Wells

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — had four aces playing in No. 20 Garbine Muguruza, to Jennifer Brady 6-3, 3-6, Wawrinka edged Daniel
Sloane Stephens lost to Ste- windy conditions in the No. 22 Jelana Ostapenko, 6-0; No. 27 Su-Wei Hsieh Evans 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3. Also
fanie Voegele of Switzer- Southern California desert. and No. 18 Qiang Wang. was beaten by Johanna advancing were Feliciano
land 6-3, 6-0 in just over an Voegele improved to 4-1 Stephens wasn’t the only Konta 6-0, 6-2; and No. 29 Lopez and Hubert Hurkacz.
hour Friday in the second against the 2017 U.S. Open seed to be ousted on the Mihaela Buzarnescu lost to Novak Djokovic, the world’s
round of the BNP Paribas champion. women’s side. Daria Gavrilova 6-2, 6-2. top-ranked player, won his
Open. No. 2 seed Simona Halep No. 14 Daria Kasatkina, a In men’s opening-round first-round doubles match
The fourth-seeded Ameri- beat Barbora Strycova 6-2, finalist last year, lost to Mar- matches, Steve Johnson with Fabio Fognini. They
can committed 32 un- 6-4. Other seeded winners keta Vondrousova 6-2, 6-1; beat fellow American Tay- beat Jeremy Chardy and
forced errors while Voegele were: No. 12 Ashleigh Barty, No. 19 Caroline Garcia lost lor Fritz 6-3, 6-3 and Stan Milos Raonic 7-6 (5), 6-1.q