Mikaela Shiffrin stuns Petra Vlhova under iconic Schladming lights for record-breaking 47th slalom World Cup win

Mikaela Shiffrin ended Petra Vlhova’s World Cup profitable run with a surprising victory on the remaining girls’s slalom earlier than the Winter Olympics.

In a major assertion earlier than Beijing 2022, the American trailed by a major margin after the primary run however produced a storming second to shock Vlhova.

The ladies had been afforded a uncommon alternative to tackle the Schladming slopes often reserved for his or her male technical counterparts after the relocation of this occasion 30km east from Flachau after surging coronavirus circumstances pressured the postponement of the standard feminine night time slalom occasion.

Second place and the accompanying 80 factors had been sufficient to safe the Slovakian season victory and her third World Cup crystal ball, however represented a major blow struck by Shiffrin forward of the Video games.

“I am simply crying so much currently!” stated an emotional Shiffrin, who broke Ingemar Stenmark’s file along with her forty seventh World Cup victory in a single self-discipline.

“It is such a privilege to race on this slope and all I needed to do right now was earn that, deserve it. It is iconic, it is Schladming – I used to be geeking out this morning as a result of I can not consider we might be right here.

Shiffrin had taken gold as a teen on this Schladming slope on the 2013 World Championship, her first main medal – as a mark of the American’s prodigious expertise, each different high ten finisher 9 years in the past has since retired from the game.

That meant it was a area with recent eyes that took to the Planai piste, a primary probability for most of the world’s finest technical skiers to carve the Schladming snow.

Vlhova was afforded first look underneath the enduring glare of the beaming floodlights, and produced a assured opening gambit, snowboarding with function and drive and setting what would show to be the quickest time of the primary run, finishing the course in 45.28 seconds.

The 26-year-old got here residence practically half-a-second down on her rival, in fifth (45.70).

Michelle Gisin had been one other to come-a-cropper in Slovenia and befell related destiny once more after her ski ran the incorrect facet of the pole after a misjudged flip, whereas Anna Swenn-Larson (third final trip) additionally failed to complete,

One other early starter, Germany’s Lena Duerr confirmed higher, incomes a spot because the penultimate starter with a advantageous 45.55.

Wendy Holdener and Ali Nullmeyer (45.63) had been additionally well-placed for a cost, tied for third, whereas former junior world champion Camille Rast lurked in seventh.

There have been indicators the course was starting to change into harder as consecutive skiers failed to complete the second run, first Marie-Therese Sporer after which Emma Aicher bashing their poles in frustration having slid out of high ten rivalry, quickly after Chiara Mair had taken the general lead with a blistering second run.

Katharina Liensberger was additionally got rid of course and appeared destined for a heavy fall, however exceptional core power and limb contortion enabled her to maintain her ft and file a consequence.

Rising star Rast then powered right into a tie of the lead with Mair, however Paula Moltzan, persevering with to nurse a fractured left wrist, was one other who failed to complete.

That left solely the highest 5 to ski, and Shiffrin laid down a marker. Exhibiting far higher depth than in her opening run, the American produced the quickest run of the second spherical to grab the lead.

Holdener couldn’t match it, turned ragged within the opening turns and recording a DNF, whereas fast-developing Nullmeyer straddled and was pressured to glissade.

Duerr was additionally unable to problem Shiffrin’s surge, the very best a part of a second down come the shut however securing a podium place, which means solely Vlhova may deny Shiffrin a second win of the season.

And for the primary time since Shiffrin’s residence race in Killington in November, the Slovakian didn’t have sufficient, heavy-edged and oddly sloppy on the steepest slope of the ladies’s slalom season to finally come residence 0.15 of a second behind.

Having overcome Covid, which brought on her to overlook the occasion in Leinz, this was a major return to high kind for Shiffrin, organising a mouth-watering duel on the Xiaohaituo Alpine Snowboarding Area on February 9.

The consequence leaves Vlhova an unassailable 220 factors forward of Shiffrin (660 to 440) within the season standings.

Durr’s third lifts her proper into podium rivalry, simply 9 factors behind Holdener.

The ladies’s World Cup slalom now pauses till the conclusion of slightly necessary affairs in Beijing, resuming on 12 March in Are.

It concludes one week later in Meribel.

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