SAALBACH HINTERGLEM, Austria (AP) — For Mikaela Shiffrin, this season’s award for greatest slalom athlete is completely different from the 15 crystal globes the American star gained earlier in her profession.
For a change, this time it does not really feel just like the season is over.
Shiffrin gained Saturday’s World Cup remaining, her record-extending sixtieth win in slalom and 97th general, capping a season marred by a latest six-week harm break.
She had already clinched her record-tying eighth slalom title of the season final week along with her first win in her first race since injuring her knee in a downhill accident in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, in January. will solely be handed over after the ultimate race.
“It was like midseason for me. I’m in all probability probably the most excited to be right here. Everyone needs to go residence and I’m like, ‘No!’ thought. We’re simply beginning once more,” Shiffrin mentioned, including that her emotions had “so much to do with the group right here being so supportive.” We’re already excited to be again as a result of it provides us the identical feelings we wish to really feel in a race. ”
Shiffrin, who turned 29 on Wednesday, mentioned on Instagram that she’s going to skip Sunday’s large slalom and subsequent week’s velocity competitors, making the slalom her final race of the season.
“I’m actually completely happy as a result of I really feel like these final two races gave me one thing to be actually happy with,” Shiffrin mentioned.
The two-time Olympic champion sprained the MCL and tibiofibular ligament in his knee, however was additionally nonetheless recovering from a bone bruise he sustained earlier within the season when a lot of World Cup, Olympic and world champions crashed. Her associate, Alexander Aamodt Kilde, additionally labored exhausting at a packed program in January.
“Oh, it has been an amazing season,” Shiffrin mentioned. “I’m wanting ahead to seeing Alex and searching ahead to going residence, however I do not need the season to finish.”
Shiffrin gained 9 of the 21 races she competed on this season, however missed many races whereas recovering from a knee harm and needed to cede the general title. Americans have gained the Big Glove 5 instances since 2017, and Swiss skier Lara Gut-Behrami is all however confirmed as the brand new champion.
“I believe it was a really instructional expertise. You all the time study one thing each season,” Shiffrin mentioned. “This competitors taught me so much about persistence, belief, communication, and the best way to proceed snowboarding whereas coping with ache. These are actually essential issues, so I hope they are going to assist me in my future profession as properly.” I’m.”
On Saturday, Shiffrin trailed Anna Swen Larsson of Sweden within the first run, however in the end gained the season-ending slalom by 0.54 seconds over Norway’s Mina Ferst Holtmann, with Swen Larsson main the way in which. He fell to third place with a distinction of 0.63 seconds.
Shiffrin gained seven slalom races this season, bringing her profession whole to 60, as her essential rivals Petra Vlhova and Wendy Hoerner ended their seasons early with accidents. No different skier, male or feminine, has gained greater than 46 races in a single occasion.
Asked about her win whole in a trackside tv interview, Shiffrin paused earlier than answering.
“It’s somewhat exhausting to course of every thing. I’ve been feeling actually energetic recently and it makes me really feel so alive, so that is what I’m specializing in. I’m making an attempt to soak up all of it. ” she mentioned.
“I’ve by no means actually valued numbers, however now I really feel like I’m wonderful with numbers. There’s no strain or something, it is simply an honor.”
On the primary run course set by Shiffrin’s coach Karin Harjo, Swen Larson was 0.11 seconds quicker than Shiffrin.
“The skis felt actually good and I assumed my gear was arrange very well for this run. I used to be pushing,” Shiffrin mentioned of the troublesome course circumstances after an in a single day rain softened the snow. Ta.
The subsequent ladies’s remaining race is Sunday’s large slalom, the place Gut-Behrami will begin with a 95-point lead over Italian challenger Federica Brignone.
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