Third consecutive World slalom title for Shiffrin in St. Moritz

By Published On: February 18th, 2017Comments Off on Third consecutive World slalom title for Shiffrin in St. Moritz

ST. MORITZ, Switzerland — On Saturday, 94 athletes from 52 countries took to the Suvretta slope in St. Moritz for the women’s World Championship slalom. First run started with American Mikaela Shiffrin and ended with Haitian skier Celine Marti. While Marti was far from medal contention, Shiffrin was fighting for her third consecutive World Championship slalom title–something she earned with a combined time of 1:37.27. The American’s winning margin was 1.64 seconds, most of which she gained in the second run.

She was joined on the podium by 2017 Alpine Combined World Champion Wendy Holdener of Switzerland and Frida Hansdotter of Sweden, who finished in second and third, respectively.

“I didn’t see my time until I got all the way through, and I knew I had a good run, but I didn’t know it was that good until I saw the time,” Shiffrin said. “Three medals is great, but today is really special today for me because I finally skied this the way I wanted to and that’s what means a lot to me today.”

SANKT MORITZ,SWITZERLAND,18.FEB.17 - ALPINE SKIING - FIS Alpine World Ski Championships, slalom, ladies. Image shows Mikaela Shiffrin (USA). Photo: GEPA pictures/ Christian Walgram

With this victory, the American ties Christel Cranz’s record of three consecutive wins in the ladies’ World Championship slalom. Cranz was a German alpine skier who won in 1937, 1938, and 1939–nearly three decades before the inception of the World Cup. Shiffrin also joins the ranks of legends like Sweden’s Ingemar Stenmark, who won three consecutive World slalom titles during his career.

The second-place athlete, Holdener, earned her first World Championship medal in slalom just days after winning the alpine combined. Until Saturday, her best World Championship slalom result was 11th place in 2013.

“I made a few small mistakes in the second run, so when I heard the speaker say I had the lead, I was surprised,” said Holdener. “There was no beating Mikaela today, so I’m really happy with the silver medal and these entire World Championships.”

The Swiss star, along with the other female athletes, will now have a few days off before regular World Cup racing resumes with alpine combined and super-G in Crans Montana, Switzerland.

The 2016 World Cup slalom globe winner came in third place. She was able to make up time second run, moving up from her fifth place position in the first run. Hansdotter has been on the podium in both of the last two World Championship slalom races, earning bronze in 2013 and silver in 2015.

“It’s been tough,” Hansdotter said. “I’ve had a lot of pressure on me, so it’s really nice to have a medal. I’ve been skiing for a couple of years now, and this is my third medal, so it’s great.”

After Shiffrin, the next best American was Resi Stiegler in 11th place, her third best result ever in a World Championship slalom. The U.S. Ski Team veteran actually competed in her first World Championships at this same venue back in 2003, and in total, she has raced in eight World Championships. Megan McJames also put together two runs, finishing in 36th place.

The Canadians were led by Erin Mielzynski in 15th place while Marie-Michele Gagnon skied to 20th position, and Mikaela Tommy did not finish second run. World Championship rookie Ali Nullmeyer skied to 27th place in her debut slalom start.

SANKT MORITZ,SWITZERLAND,18.FEB.17 - ALPINE SKIING - FIS Alpine World Ski Championships, slalom, ladies. Image shows Ali Nullmeyer (CAN). Photo: GEPA pictures/ Christian Walgram

Nullmeyer, who is currently leading the overall and slalom NorAm standings, was surprised when she got the call that coaches wanted to put her in the race. When her coaches said they wanted to meet with her, the 18 year old thought she might be in trouble. In fact, it was the opposite, and Nullmeyer seems to be taking the advancement to the elite level of racing in stride.

“It’s definitely different than coming down in a normal FIS race or even a NorAm, where there’s only a few people watching,” she shared. “Here, you have the stands and everything, it’s kind of crazy getting used to the TVs, but it’s really exciting and really fun, and it’s been awesome so far.”

Sunday, Feb. 19 is the final day of World Championships action featuring the men’s slalom.


Top 10

  1. Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) – Atomic / Atomic / Atomic
  2. Wendy Holdener (SUI) – Head / Head / Head
  3. Frida Hansdotter (SWE) – Rossignol / Look / Rossignol
  4. Petra Vlhova (SVK) – Rossignol / Look / Rossignol
  5. Sarka Strachova (CZE) – Fischer / Fischer / Fischer
  6. Michaela Kirchgasser (AUT) – Atomic / Atomic / Atomic
  7. Ana Bucik (SLO) – Stoeckli / Salomon / Head
  8. Emelie Wikstroem (SWE) – Volkl / Dalbello / Marker  
  9. Denise Feierabend (SUI) – Head / Head / Head
  10. Bernadette Schild (AUT) – Head / Head / Head

Official Results

Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Run 1 Run 2 Total Time Diff. FIS Points
 1  1  6535237 SHIFFRIN Mikaela 1995 USA  47.80  49.47  1:37.27  0.00
 2  7  516280 HOLDENER Wendy 1993 SUI  48.18  50.73  1:38.91  +1.64  12.14
 3  3  505679 HANSDOTTER Frida 1985 SWE  48.57  50.45  1:39.02  +1.75  12.95
 4  4  705423 VLHOVA Petra 1995 SVK  48.56  50.60  1:39.16  +1.89  13.99
 5  6  155415 STRACHOVA Sarka 1985 CZE  49.00  50.32  1:39.32  +2.05  15.17
 6  10  55759 KIRCHGASSER Michaela 1985 AUT  48.75  50.74  1:39.49  +2.22  16.43
 7  17  565401 BUCIK Ana 1993 SLO  48.76  51.13  1:39.89  +2.62  19.39
 8  19  506341 WIKSTROEM Emelie 1992 SWE  49.49  50.71  1:40.20  +2.93  21.69
 9  27  515997 FEIERABEND Denise 1989 SUI  49.61  50.62  1:40.23  +2.96  21.91
 10  9  56032 SCHILD Bernadette 1990 AUT  49.41  50.83  1:40.24  +2.97  21.98
 11  14  537772 STIEGLER Resi 1985 USA  49.38  51.03  1:40.41  +3.14  23.24
 12  23  196806 NOENS Nastasia 1988 FRA  49.75  50.78  1:40.53  +3.26  24.13
 13  18  425981 SKJOELD Maren 1993 NOR  49.60  50.99  1:40.59  +3.32  24.57
 14  15  505760 PIETILAE-HOLMNER Maria 1986 SWE  49.97  50.63  1:40.60  +3.33  24.65
 15  22  106961 MIELZYNSKI Erin 1990 CAN  49.74  50.88  1:40.62  +3.35  24.80
 16  32  506146 SWENN-LARSSON Anna 1991 SWE  49.84  50.85  1:40.69  +3.42  25.32
 17  38  206536 WALLNER Marina 1994 GER  49.81  50.89  1:40.70  +3.43  25.39
 18  16  206355 DUERR Lena 1991 GER  49.16  51.61  1:40.77  +3.50  25.91
 19  13  56315 TRUPPE Katharina 1996 AUT  49.80  51.10  1:40.90  +3.63  26.87
 20  8  105269 GAGNON Marie-Michele 1989 CAN  49.48  51.77  1:41.25  +3.98  29.46
 21  11  516284 GISIN Michelle 1993 SUI  48.66  52.86  1:41.52  +4.25  31.46
 22  40  355061 HILZINGER Jessica 1997 GER  50.43  51.22  1:41.65  +4.38  32.42
 23  25  196726 BARTHET Anne-Sophie 1988 FRA  50.70  51.12  1:41.82  +4.55  33.68
 24  31  297601 BRIGNONE Federica 1990 ITA  50.60  51.73  1:42.33  +5.06  37.45
 25  39  225525 TILLEY Alexandra 1993 GBR  50.66  52.06  1:42.72  +5.45  40.34
 26  2  425771 LOESETH Nina 1989 NOR  51.70  51.27  1:42.97  +5.70  42.19
 27  34  107798 NULLMEYER Ali 1998 CAN  51.03  52.13  1:43.16  +5.89  43.60
 28  45  385092 KOMSIC Andrea 1996 CRO  51.36  52.30  1:43.66  +6.39  47.30
 29  35  485802 TKACHENKO Ekaterina 1995 RUS  51.08  52.79  1:43.87  +6.60  48.85
 30  51  405138 JELINKOVA Adriana 1995 NED  51.38  52.65  1:44.03  +6.76  50.04
 31  53  665009 SHKANOVA Maria 1989 BLR  51.35  52.96  1:44.31  +7.04  52.11
 32  41  155728 DUBOVSKA Martina 1992 CZE  51.82  52.68  1:44.50  +7.23  53.52
 33  49  155727 CAPOVA Gabriela 1993 CZE  51.71  53.06  1:44.77  +7.50  55.52
 34  46  25096 GUTIERREZ Mireia 1988 AND  51.75  53.11  1:44.86  +7.59  56.18
 35  37  185317 SOPPELA Merle 1991 FIN  51.55  53.49  1:45.04  +7.77  57.51
 36  52  538284 MCJAMES Megan 1987 USA  52.11  53.69  1:45.80  +8.53  63.14
 37  65  555036 ABOLTINA Agnese 1996 LAT  52.60  53.70  1:46.30  +9.03  66.84
 38  44  305944 KIYOSAWA Emiko 1983 JPN  52.23  54.27  1:46.50  +9.23  68.32
 39  54  35156 BANCORA Salome 1993 ARG  52.76  53.81  1:46.57  +9.30  68.84
 40  62  65075 DECROIX Marjolein 1992 BEL  52.20  55.02  1:47.22  +9.95  73.65
 41  59  35089 SIMARI BIRKNER Macarena 1984 ARG  52.46  55.35  1:47.81  +10.54  78.02
 42  57  65117 VANREUSEL Kim 1998 BEL  53.75  54.58  1:48.33  +11.06  81.87
 43  70  705460 JANCOVA Tereza 1999 SVK  53.43  55.36  1:48.79  +11.52  85.27
 44  72  705469 NEMCOVA Klaudia 2000 SVK  54.88  56.16  1:51.04  +13.77  101.93
 45  60  95050 KIRKOVA Maria 1986 BUL  53.85  57.28  1:51.13  +13.86  102.59
 46  69  685018 TSIKLAURI Nino 1993 GEO  54.88  58.75  1:53.63  +16.36  121.10
 47  74  175041 LEMGART Charlotte Techen 1993 DEN  55.88  57.89  1:53.77  +16.50  122.13
 48  77  235110 RALLI Sophia 1988 GRE  56.57  58.09  1:54.66  +17.39  128.72
 49  81  695108 KNYSH Olha 1995 UKR  56.10  58.89  1:54.99  +17.72  131.16
Did not qualify for 2nd run
 50  76  6000000 SIMADER Sabrina 1998 KEN  57.21  57.21
 51  79  235292 SAMARINOU Maria 1996 GRE  57.58  57.58
 52  75  197848 ARBEZ Tess 1997 IRL  57.73  57.73
 53  85  365020 ELVINGER Catherine 1995 LUX  58.49  58.49
 54  78  125039 NI Yueming 1995 CHN  1:00.11  1:00.11
 55  73  715171 MUZAFERIJA Elvedina 1999 BIH  1:00.69  1:00.69
 56  64  65108 NELLES Mathilde 1997 BEL  1:02.48  1:02.48
 57  91  265053 AHMADI Atefeh 2000 IRI  1:03.21  1:03.21
 58  89  345122 EL KHOURY Laetitia 1997 LBN  1:04.35  1:04.35
 59  86  959300 PELLEGRIN Elise 1991 MLT  1:04.36  1:04.36
 60  93  595018 CARVALHO Catarina 1997 POR  1:11.94  1:11.94
 61  90  575010 OLIVIER Rachel Elizabeth 1999 RSA  1:16.25  1:16.25
 62  94  926000 MARTI Celine 1979 HAI  1:27.81  1:27.81
Did not qualify for final race
 63  63  675036 KARPOVA Yekaterina 1998 KAZ  53.13  56.90  1:50.03
 64  38  125038 KONG Fanying 1996 CHN  54.07  56.72  1:50.79
 65  52  235190 PAPAIOANNOU Natalia 1992 GRE  55.52  57.36  1:52.88
 66  51  315219 MILOSEVIC Nadezda 1998 MNE  55.42  57.71  1:53.13
 67  53  235320 MANTSIOU Anastasia 1998 GRE  54.74  58.61  1:53.35
 68  55  675035 GRIGOROVA Mariya 1996 KAZ  56.19  58.35  1:54.54
 69  50  125037 WANG Meixia 1997 CHN  58.55  1:00.55  1:59.10
 70  62  345140 GEORGE Sonia Marie 1999 LBN  59.44  1:03.37  2:02.81
 71  59  345098 KEIROUZ Celine 1995 LBN  59.98  1:04.04  2:04.02
 72  73  245067 BERECZ Reka 1995 HUN  1:02.70  1:05.07  2:07.77
 73  43  275035 CARLETTE Kelsie 1995 IRL  1:21.93  59.27  2:21.20
Disqualified 1st run
 83  298936 MEHILLI Suela 1994 ALB
 24  516528 MEILLARD Melanie 1998 SUI
Did not finish 2nd run
 68  95112 ASENOVA Vera 1995 BUL
 67  435334 GASIENICA-DANIEL Maryna 1994 POL
 56  107532 TOMMY Mikaela 1995 CAN
 55  185430 HONKANEN Riikka 1998 FIN
 47  555018 GASUNA Lelde 1990 LAT
 36  485637 ALOPINA Ksenia 1992 RUS
 33  315187 IGNJATOVIC Nevena 1990 SRB
 30  56367 GALLHUBER Katharina 1997 AUT
 29  565320 FERK Marusa 1988 SLO
 28  197319 BAUD MUGNIER Adeline 1992 FRA
 5  705287 VELEZ ZUZULOVA Veronika 1984 SVK
Did not finish 1st run
 92  755051 SIMJANOVSKA Lidija 2000 MKD
 88  215007 GRIGOREVA Kseniya 1987 UZB
 87  315203 BULATOVIC Ivana 1994 MNE
 84  955000 OETTL REYES Ornella 1991 PER
 82  245077 ARCHAM Chiara 1999 HUN
 80  785007 JANUSKEVICIUTE Ieva 1994 LTU
 71  465092 CIOCANEL Raluca Georgiana 1996 ROU
 66  415205 HUDSON Piera 1996 NZL
 63  555035 BONDARE Liene 1996 LAT
 61  536481 SCHLEPER Sarah 1979 MEX
 58  255357 EINARSDOTTIR Freydis Halla 1994 ISL
 50  385096 POPOVIC Leona 1997 CRO
 48  155699 PAULATHOVA Katerina 1993 CZE
 43  196803 MOUGEL Laurie 1988 FRA
 42  307493 ANDO Asa 1996 JPN
 26  296259 MOELGG Manuela 1983 ITA
 21  296509 CURTONI Irene 1985 ITA
 20  206279 GEIGER Christina 1990 GER
 12  296354 COSTAZZA Chiara 1984 ITA
Did not start 1st run in qualification race
 76  375018 COLETTI Alexandra 1983 MON
 74  625024 DEVI Varsha 1995 IND
 71  625023 THAKUR Aanchal 1996 IND
Did not finish 2nd run in qualification race
 67  245076 MAROTY Mariann Mimi 1998 HUN
 65  265036 ZALI TOROJENI Najmeh 1995 IRI
 35  695101 TIKUN Tetyana 1994 UKR
 30  715123 NOVAKOVIC Zana 1985 BIH
 29  175050 BERTHELSEN Nuunu Chemnitz 1996 DEN
 18  35222 BARUZZI FARRIOL Francesca 1998 ARG
 15  185411 LUUKKO Nea 1996 FIN
Did not finish 1st run in qualification race
 70  775004 PALIUTKINA Olga 1993 KGZ
 68  315222 BABIC Jana 1999 SRB
 66  265006 KALHOR Marjan 1988 IRI
 64  265005 KALHOR Mitra 1985 IRI
 57  345123 KEIROUZ Lea 1997 LBN
 56  245070 CSIMA Laura 1997 HUN
 49  125026 LIU Yang 1988 CHN
 42  315221 KOVACEVIC Milica 1999 SRB
 32  255403 BIRKISDOTTIR Andrea Bjork 1998 ISL
 17  35131 GASTALDI Nicol 1990 ARG
 13  385106 STIMAC Ida 2000 CRO

 

 

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About the Author: Gabbi Hall

A California native, Gabbi moved to Vermont to ski on the NCAA circuit for St. Michael’s College, where she served as team captain and studied journalism. Before joining Ski Racing, she worked as a broadcast TV producer and social media manager in higher education. She can be reached via email at gabbi@skiracing.com