Vlhova wins WC Finals slalom; Shiffrin 3rd

Petra Vlhova. GEPA pictures.

SOLDEU, Andorra — Slovakian skier Petra Vlhova used a frenetic finish on her final run to win the last women’s World Cup slalom of the season Saturday, while Mikaela Shiffrin placed third.

It hasn’t been Vlhova’s best year, but she ended her 2023 slalom campaign with her second season victory. The first-run winner ran last in the afternoon but she delivered the fourth fastest second run time. She also earned her 66th career World Cup podium. She revealed her fight to be the champion is far from gone. Skiing a challenging course in harsh conditions, she was the best of the day.

On the second run, Vlhova trailed then-leader Leona Popovic by eight-hundredths of a second at the last split but gained time through the gates on the flat final sector to beat the Croatian prodigy by 0.43 seconds.

Popovic finished in second place for her first career podium.

Shiffrin was 0.83 seconds behind Vlhova for her 17th podium result in her 30 starts this season. With her third place, she notably matches Lindsey Vonn for the most career World Cup podiums at 137. Historically Shiffrin has not been her best when the snow is salted, but this season she has shown she is up to any challenge.

Shiffrin won six of the previous 10 slaloms this season and the American locked up the discipline title in January. She has also secured her fifth overall and second giant slalom globe.

“It’s the sum of a lot of hard work and many amazing races and the work of the whole team,” Shiffrin said in a post-race TV interview. “I’m very thankful and very proud.”

Shiffrin will be after her 14th win of the season and 88th career in total in Sunday’s giant slalom, the last race of the season, a week after setting the record for most career victories with 87.

“Since Are I felt a little bit more free,” Shiffrin said. “And even then, I still feel the nerves and the pressure, like I want to win just as much as before. I still have the same motivation, which is the most exciting thing.”

Vlhova won the season title in slalom last year and won her second race in the current campaign after triumphing in a night event in Austria in January.

“It’s (emotional) because my season was so up and down,” Vlhova said. “I wanted to come here and show my skiing in the last races and have a good feeling for the next season.”

Shiffrin and her teammates also earned the 2023 women’s slalom Nations Cup.

In the World Cup final slalom, only 16 women made it to the finish line, though Paula Moltzan hiked. All the other finishers scored World Cup points. Among those were the two Canadians, Amelia Smart and Ali Nullmeyer.

Canadian skier Laurence St-Germain, who beat Shiffrin to the world slalom title last month, was 10th after the opening run but became one of six skiers who didn’t finish the second run, which was affected by rain and wet snow as dark clouds moved over the course.

“It was tricky with the snow coming. There’s just like so many weather conditions today,” Shiffrin said. “It was really fun to race, it’s a challenging slope and it’s kind of interesting to finish the season with that. Because for me it gives a lot insight into the things we can work on through the summertime and into the preparation for next season. So, it kind of leaves some motivation.”

The second run course set by the Austrian coach was challenging and caused many significant mistakes.

Race results and analysis of the fastest three and North Americans

Analysis of the fastest three and North Americans

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

This is a developing story, stay tuned for updates.