LEVI, Finland: American Mikaela Shiffrin notched up a ninth successive World Cup slalom win after dominating the specialist event at the race meet in the Finnish resort of Levi on Saturday.
Shiffrin clocked a combined total over two runs of 1min 52.71sec, finishing 0.67sec ahead of Switzerland’s Wendy Holdener, with Slovakia’s Petra Vlhova in third a further 0.08sec adrift.
Shiffrin, 21, is the reigning Olympic and double world slalom champion and went into the second run with a 0.72sec advantage from her first descent. She kept her nerve in perfect, icy conditions to bag a 21st win on the World Cup circuit, 20 of which have come in the slalom.
“The first run felt good. I was quite nervous this morning, so I’m really happy with where I’m at and I attacked really hard,” said Shiffrin.
“Sometimes when I’m nervous I get really passive, so I tried to go the opposite direction and almost try to ski too hard. It ended up being just the right balance.”
Shiffrin, who previously won in Levi in 2013, added: “The hill was in a really, really perfect condition and it was a beautiful day”.
“So, I’m happy... but I also know I can be faster”.
“The better I ski, the easier it is, and more simple. So I always shoot with the most simple skiing and just try to get to the finish as fast as I can. I’m psyched with how that worked today.”
But Shiffrin insisted she was “not unbeatable”, saying she was under pressure from her rivals.
“I can tell you that. And I think a lot of these girls know that and they’re shooting to be the first to beat me now. So every race I have to be faster, and it’s certainly not a comfortable position.”
Shiffrin will head to Colorado for training before travelling to the eastern American resort of Killington, which debuts on the World Cup circuit with a giant slalom on Nov. 26 and a slalom a day later.
Shiffrin clocked a combined total over two runs of 1min 52.71sec, finishing 0.67sec ahead of Switzerland’s Wendy Holdener, with Slovakia’s Petra Vlhova in third a further 0.08sec adrift.
Shiffrin, 21, is the reigning Olympic and double world slalom champion and went into the second run with a 0.72sec advantage from her first descent. She kept her nerve in perfect, icy conditions to bag a 21st win on the World Cup circuit, 20 of which have come in the slalom.
“The first run felt good. I was quite nervous this morning, so I’m really happy with where I’m at and I attacked really hard,” said Shiffrin.
“Sometimes when I’m nervous I get really passive, so I tried to go the opposite direction and almost try to ski too hard. It ended up being just the right balance.”
Shiffrin, who previously won in Levi in 2013, added: “The hill was in a really, really perfect condition and it was a beautiful day”.
“So, I’m happy... but I also know I can be faster”.
“The better I ski, the easier it is, and more simple. So I always shoot with the most simple skiing and just try to get to the finish as fast as I can. I’m psyched with how that worked today.”
But Shiffrin insisted she was “not unbeatable”, saying she was under pressure from her rivals.
“I can tell you that. And I think a lot of these girls know that and they’re shooting to be the first to beat me now. So every race I have to be faster, and it’s certainly not a comfortable position.”
Shiffrin will head to Colorado for training before travelling to the eastern American resort of Killington, which debuts on the World Cup circuit with a giant slalom on Nov. 26 and a slalom a day later.
