Mikaela Shiffrin won her first World Cup giant slalom of the season on Thursday in Lienz, Austria, adding No. 92 to the World Cup career record in World Cup victories. It was her fourth win this season.
The 28-year-old’s two-run time of 2 minutes 5.98 seconds was good enough to hold off Federica Brignone (2:06.36) and Sara Hector (2:06.43). AJ Hurt and Paula Moltzan of the U.S. Ski and Snow team finished home 11th and 16th, respectively.
“It was challenging today on a really good surface,” said Shiffrin. “I felt amazing on the first run, but I knew I had to push still for the second run.”
She turned in a 1:01.82 first run and a 1:04.16 second run to take home the gold. While many skiers were able to surpass that second run, nobody came close to that first one, which sealed the victory, her 22nd GS career win.
One of those skiers topping Shiffrin’s second run was Hurt, who turned in two near-equivalent times to land in 11th. It was almost her best result of the season — having earned ninth in Tremblant, Canada, earlier in the season. She is in 17th in the FIS women’s giant slalom season standings.
“I am really satisfied about today,” said Hurt. “I’m feeling good about my giant slalom skiing training with Paula and Mikaela. There isn’t anyone better in the world to train with.”
Shiffrin now sits third in the season’s giant slalom standings and Moltzan 11th.
“My goal is to close the gap a little on the giant slalom standings,” Shiffrin said. “I wanted to win it (Thursday’s race), but I also did not want to mess it up. I am super happy.”
Shiffrin’s next chance to rise the giant slalom ranks will be next week in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. They will be hosting giant slalom and slalom events for the top female alpine skiers in the world, but first comes Friday’s slalom race, still in Lienz.
That race will also have two individual runs, with Shiffrin having the hot hand at the moment for the U.S. squad. In the four other slalom races that have been held this season thus far, she’s finished fourth, first, first again and then second.
Slovakia’s Petra Vlhova has been Shiffrin’s main competition in these slalom events, finishing first at last week’s Courchevel Cup and sitting second in the women’s slalom standings. However, Shiffrin does hold first place in the slalom, currently 50 points above Vlhova and 140 points above Germany’s Lena Duerr, who is in third.
To keep up with these standings and Shiffrin, Hurt and Moltzan’s Cup results, see the FIS’ website: https://www.fis-ski.com/en. Friday’s slalom race, both run one and two, will also be streaming live on NBC’s Peacock streaming service: https://www.peacocktv.com.