American Mikaela Shiffrin continued her giant slalom ascent, finishing a career-best second at the World Cup stop in Beaver Creek, Colo., on Sunday.
Shiffrin, 18, made her first World Cup giant slalom podium. She trailed only Swede Jessica Lindell-Vikarby, who beat Shiffrin by .44 of a second in the first run and hung on in the second run to win by .09.
Shiffrin’s best previous giant slalom result was sixth, both at the World Championships in February and at the World Cup season opener Oct. 26.
“Every race it takes something different, and every race is a new challenge,” Shiffrin said, according to the Denver Post. “Sometimes you’re sick, sometimes you’re tired, sometimes there’s more pressure because it’s the home crowd. I was so happy today because it wasn’t really nerves that was getting me down the hill, I wanted to race. I couldn’t wait to get out of the starting gate. That was the coolest feeling for me. I’m going to try to take that into the next races.”
She’s already the world’s best slalom skier but has put more emphasis on giant slalom this year to become a multiple-medal threat at the Sochi Olympics in February.
“I’ve been skiing a lot of GS and a little bit of super-G, trying to get used to the speed and really arcing my turns,” Shiffrin, of nearby Vail, told NBC after her first run. “The more I train it, the more comfortable I am.”
It’s time to wonder when Shiffrin will branch out to speed events in competition, like the super-G. She said this summer she would only compete in slalom and giant slalom this season, though she considered the super combined.
Shiffrin competed in a downhill and a super-G at the Russian National Championships in Sochi last February, her first speed races since Nor-Am Cups three years ago, and said she strapped on downhill skis for the first time in her life in April.
Shiffrin has never done a downhill, super-G or super combined at a World Cup or World Championships.
Also Sunday, Julia Mancuso, who won the 2006 Olympic giant slalom, completed a disappointing weekend by failing to finish her second run.
“When things are going fast, it feels easy. When things are going bad, you feel like you want to give up,” Mancuso said, according to The Associated Press. “But it’s definitely one of those sports where one thing can click and you can go from being in last to winning. And I’ve done it myself. I’ve gone from 50th place in a downhill and won the next one.”
Swiss Lara Gut, who won three of the first four races this season, skied off the course in the opening run. That ended her hopes of becoming the first skier to win three straight races in different disciplines in 22 years. Gut still leads the World Cup overall standings, by 60 points over Shiffrin.
The Alpine skiing World Cup continues with speed races in Lake Louise, Alberta, next weekend. Lindsey Vonn hopes to return.
Beaver Creek Giant Slalom
1. Jessica Lindell-Vikarby (SWE) 2:17.92
2. Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) 2:18.01
3. Tina Weirather (LIE) 2:18.48
4. Maria Pietilae-Holmner (SWE) 2:18.77
5. Maria Hoefl-Riesch (GER) 2:19.04
6. Anemone Marmottan (FRA) 2:19.09
7. Federica Brignone (ITA) 2:19.18
8. Ragnhild Mowinckel (NOR) 2:19.28
9. Tessa Worley (FRA) 2:19.33
9. Marie-Pier Prefontaine (CAN) 2:19.33
DNF. Julia Mancuso (USA)
