Mikaela Shiffrin Triumphs in Slalom After Rival’s Injury
On Sunday, Mikaela Shiffrin secured her 95th career win by winning the women’s World Cup slalom race in JASNA, Slovakia. This victory extends her record as she surpasses her main rival, Petra Vlhova, who sustained a season-ending injury the day before.
In the absence of Olympic slalom champion Petra Vlhova, Shiffrin narrowly defeated Zrinka Ljutic from Croatia by only 0.14 seconds. Anna Swenn Larsson from Sweden and Camille Rast from Switzerland finished in third and fourth place, respectively, with the only other racers within one second of Shiffrin’s winning time.
In a post-race interview, Shiffrin expressed her gratitude to the Slovakian spectators for their support, acknowledging the absence of Petra Vlhova. She admitted that the second run was challenging and felt depleted of energy. Shiffrin acknowledged the exceptional performance by Ljutic, appreciating the cheers from the crowd and acknowledging the need to push harder during the race.
Records Broken and Missed Rivalry
This win marks Shiffrin’s fifth slalom victory this season and her 58th overall, setting a new World Cup record for both men and women. Additionally, Shiffrin has set a record for the most World Cup podiums in a single discipline with 82, surpassing Ingemar Stenmark’s record of 81 podium finishes in slalom during the 1970s and ’80s.
Shiffrin and Vlhova have dominated women’s slalom skiing in recent years, winning 14 out of the last 15 races, including all eight races this season. However, their rivalry was interrupted last year when Lena Duerr emerged victorious at the Czech resort Spindleruv Mlyn.
Shiffrin expressed her admiration for Vlhova and the battles they have had over the years. She expressed her sadness over Vlhova’s absence in the race and her desire to witness their competitive clash once again.
Shiffrin on Track for Eighth World Cup Title
With Vlhova out of the race, Shiffrin is well-positioned to claim her eighth World Cup season title in slalom. She currently leads the third-ranked Lena Duerr by 228 points, with only three more events remaining. If Shiffrin secures a race win at the next slalom event in Soldeu, Andorra on February 11, she will guarantee the title.
In the slalom race on Sunday, Duerr finished in seventh place, 1.77 seconds behind the leader.
Other Season-Ending Injuries
Petra Vlhova joins the list of former overall champions who have suffered season-ending injuries this month. On the men’s side, Alexis Pinturault and Aleksander Aamodt Kilde also underwent surgery following crashes during speed races in Wengen, Switzerland.
Source: US News
(Note: This article has been rewritten for clarity and brevity. The original content is based on a report by the Associated Press.)