FLACHAU, Austria (Jan. 10, 2017) – Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) rebounded from a disappointing first run to land on the podium in a tie for third Tuesday night under the lights at the Audi FIS Ski World Cup slalom.
Sweden’s Frida Hansdotter, the defending World Cup slalom champion, won her first slalom of the season by 0.58 over Norway’s Nina Loeseth in second, while Shiffrin and Switzerland’s Wendy Holdener tied for third, 0.78 back.
Mikaela Shiffrin scored another podium result in Tuesday night's slalom in Flachau, Austria. (Getty Images/AFP-Johann Groder)
“I just didn’t ski fast, and that’s pretty much it,” Shiffrin said after her first run. “There are a lot of things … it’s easy to lose that kind of time if you ski a couple of turns a little bit tentative. So I have to try harder.”
With an angry look of determination in her eyes, Shiffrin blazed the second run, posting the fastest time to move atop the leaderboard. However, her first run deficit was just too much to overcome to reach the top step of the podium.
“The second run, I definitely went for it,” Shiffrin said. “I’m happy to be on the podium with that, but I have to say congratulations to Frida. I’m really happy for her. She skied amazing and it was really fun to watch.”
Aside from the Stockholm, Sweden, City Event Jan. 31, Flachau was the final traditional World Cup slalom event prior to next month’s World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland. So now Shiffrin has her eyes on this weekend’s World Cup super combined (super G and slalom) in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, Austria to fine-tune her form.
“I think that I want to go to (Altenmarkt-Zauchensee) anyway since it’s a super combined and I’ll be training slalom for that,” she said. “After the first run today, I want to get back in slalom gates and try to get my feeling back.”
Resi Stiegler finished 15th Tuesday in Flachau, Austria at the Audi FIS Ski World Cup slalom. (Getty Images/Agency Zoom- Christophe Pallot)
Resi Stiegler (Jackson Hole, WY) also struggled in her first run, finishing 20th. She rebounded in her second run, grabbing the 10th fastest second run to finish 15th overall. Lila Lapanja (Truckee, CA), Megan McJames (Park City, UT) and Keely Cashman (Strawberry, CA) did not qualify for the second run.
Up next, the women’s compete in downhill Saturday and super combined Sunday in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, Austria. Both events will be live on NBCSports.com.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Mikaela Shiffrin tied for third in Tuesday evening’s Audi FIS Ski World Cup slalom in Flachau, Austria.
- Resi Stiegler had the 10th fastest second run and finished 15th.
- Sweden’s Frida Hansdotter, the defending World Cup slalom champion, won her fourth World Cup slalom race.
- Stockholm, Sweden, hosts a City Event which counts toward the World Cup slalom standings on Jan. 31.
- Road to Aspen: Shiffrin extended her overall World Cup lead (1,008 points) over Switzerland’s Lara Gut (643), who did finish the first run Tuesday. Shiffrin also leads the overall World Cup slalom standings with 560 points over Veronika Velez Zuzulova with 435 points.
QUOTES
Mikaela Shiffrin
I just didn’t ski fast, and that’s pretty much it. It’s easy to lose that kind of time if you ski a couple of turns a little bit tentative. So I have to try harder.
The second run, I definitely went for it. I’m happy to be on the podium with that, but I have to say congratulations to Frida. I’m really happy for her. She skied amazing and it was really fun to watch.
[On competing in this weekend’s alpine combined event]
I think that I want to go to (Altenmarkt-Zauchensee) anyway since it’s a super combined and I’ll be training slalom for that … and we have quite a bit of time before the next slalom. After the first run today, I want to get back in slalom gates and try to get my feeling back.
BROADCAST & LIVE STREAM (all times EST)
Tuesday, Jan. 10
10:00 p.m. – women’s slalom, Flachau - Universal HD
Saturday, Jan. 14
4:45 a.m. – women’s downhill, Altenmarkt-Zauchensee – nbcsports.com – LIVE STREAM
Sunday, Jan. 15
3:30 a.m. – women’s super combined super G, run 1, Altenmarkt-Zauchensee – nbcsports.com – LIVE STREAM
6:15 a.m. – women’s super combined slalom, run 2, Altenmarkt-Zauchensee – nbcsports.com – LIVE STREAM
RESULTS
Women’s slalom
