Photo. Mikaela Shiffrin. St. Moritz. GEPA pictures.

ST. MORITZ, Switzerland – Mikaela Shiffrin won a women’s World Cup super-G Sunday to top off her first speed race weekend of the season with career win No. 77.

The best women in the world experienced a perfect day in St Moritz, Switzerland. The course was fast and flowing. The course setter utilized the terrain to make it appropriately challenging. Consequently, the clever set over the terrain helped to determine the winners. Today was the second super-G of the season but the first with the world’s number one on the start list. Today Mikaela Shiffrin found herself fastest among the most talented. 

Shiffrin skied with confidence and determination. She used her beautiful transitions from ski to ski to lock into arcs that kept her accelerating to the bottom. Shiffrin skis to win and today, it is mission accomplished. There isn’t much more to say; the woman is a first-class entertainer. 

“That was the best run I could possibly have,” said Shiffrin, who credited skiing both downhill races on Friday and Saturday with helping her prepare for her first super-G of the season.

“I felt very good the last days, but you never know, with super-G especially, you have to push so hard. It’s always on the limit. Actually, you’re pushing so hard, maybe you’re not going to finish,” Shiffrin said. “I knew what my tactics should be, I was not thinking about what was going to happen in the finish until I got there. I had a very, very good run, so I’m happy with that.”

Having not raced in speed events since last season’s World Cup finals in March, Shiffrin felt she has reconnected with the sport’s fastest disciplines right away, calling it “this instinct to go always down the hill.”

“I think that can help me with my giant slalom, and maybe even a bit with the slalom, to know if I can do it in downhill and super-G, I can do it in GS and slalom,” she said.

Thursday’s downhill winner, Italian Elena Curtoni, skied with authority and made-up time on Shiffrin in the second sector. However, she was second at the finish, 0.12 seconds behind the American. 

“I knew I needed a lot of tactics and technique but I also needed to push,” Curtoni said in describing how she approached the course. “I think I’ve tried in the best way even though the lines were not perfect on the steep and the last jump was sketchy.”

France’s Romane Miradoli skied her way into third place. She struggled a bit in the top sector but skied the following two very well. She was undoubtedly among the women who were able to manage the terrain and maintain speed. 

Unfortunately for the Swiss crowd, Michelle Gisin missed the podium by only 0.57 seconds. Gisin skied well but struggled in the third sector, taking her out of contention. 

The Italian rocket, Sofia Goggia, rounded out the top five, skiing for the second time after having surgery Friday on her left hand after the race. Goggia struggled to find her rhythm but found her form at the bottom, she was the fastest in the final sector.  The rocket’s result meant two Italians among the top five.

Undoubtedly, many of those in the finish were waiting for bib 57. Slovenian Ilika Stuhec was second in Saturday’s downhill and is clearly capable of great results. Fighting the challenges that come with a late start number Stuhec produced good splits throughout the course and finished in 17th.

The winner of the only previous super-G this season, Corinne Suter, finished 15th. The Swiss skier triumphed two weeks ago in Lake Louise, however, Shiffrin was not competing.

Six athletes with start numbers above 30 scored World Cup points. Stuhec was the last with bib 57. Shiffrin was the only North American to score in today’s super-G.

The next women’s World Cup races are two giant slaloms and a slalom in Semmering, Austria, Dec. 27-29.

The analysis of the top three and top 30 results

Top 30 results December 18th St Moritz super-G

This is a developing story, stay tuned for updates.

FIS Ski and the Associated Press contributed to this report.