Olympic champion Shiffrin wins record-tying eighth World Cup slalom of season

ÅRE, Sweden — After crossing the end line for her record-equalling eighth World Cup slalom win of the season on Sunday, Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin bent over and let loose a loud scream.

Most likely a mix of celebration and aid, as her primary rival within the general standings was second to maintain the strain on the American star.

Racing in sunny circumstances, Shiffrin dominated the final race earlier than the World Cup Finals to beat Emma Aicher of Germany by 0.94 seconds, with Switzerland’s Wendy Holdener a second off the tempo in third.

“That was actually superb. I used to be like fairly nervous, fairly excited, however ultimately it was difficult to ski,” Shiffrin stated. “I pushed actually onerous. Fairly comfortable to get to the end, too.”

Second place marked the career-best end in slalom for Aicher, who in current weeks has turn into a menace to Shiffrin’s quest for what could be the American’s record-equaling sixth general title.

With 4 occasions remaining — one race in every self-discipline — the German all-rounder trails chief Shiffrin by 140 factors, with every race win value 100 factors.

“Simply the truth that I can stand right here and say that I’m in rivalry is big for me. I’m very pleased with that,” stated the 22-year-old Aicher, who completed fifteenth within the general standings final season.

“However Shiffrin remains to be far forward of me, so it’s going to be very onerous,” the German added.

Shiffrin had misplaced 5 factors of her benefit when she completed one spot behind Aicher in fifth in Saturday’s GS, earlier than gaining 20 on her rival following Sunday’s win.

The American known as her battle with Aicher for the massive crystal globe “thrilling.”

“There’s nonetheless some pushing to do. Emma is snowboarding simply unimaginable, in each occasion. So, I attempt to keep in preventing spirit,” stated Shiffrin, who might match the ladies’s file of six general titles set by Austrian standout Annemarie Moser-Pröll within the Seventies.

“It’s the form of factor that motivates me once we are off the slopes and to maintain going with the temper and the perspective. However each time I’m within the begin gate, I simply attempt to have the very best snowboarding I can do.”

Specializing in slalom and GS this season, and two begins in super-G, Shiffrin has amassed 1,286 factors in whole, together with 880 from the slalom self-discipline. She already locked up her file ninth slalom globe in January, weeks earlier than the Olympics.

Aicher has gathered 9 podiums this season throughout slalom, super-G and downhill, with three wins from the velocity occasions.

“You’ll be able to see she is kind of calm and picked up,” Shiffrin stated about Aicher. “To be trustworthy, she actually deserves that. She has been the highest, prime contender throughout all of the disciplines, that’s simply unimaginable to see somebody doing this, as a result of she is definitely the one one.”

Shiffrin additionally received eight slaloms within the 2018-19 season, a feat beforehand solely achieved by Croatian nice Janica Kostelic 25 years in the past.

Shiffrin raised her profession tally to 72 wins in slalom and 109 general — each are World Cup data.

Åre has been an excellent setting in Shiffrin’s profession.

She received a file seven slaloms within the Swedish resort, together with her first profession victory in December 2012. She additionally took the world titles in each slalom and super-G there in 2019.

No different skier ever received greater than two World Cup races in Åre.

The World Cup Finals in Norway for each men and women open with the velocity occasions in Kvitfjell subsequent weekend, adopted by the GS and slalom in Hafjell on March 24-25.