All she does is win: Shiffrin’s back in Crans Montana

Heading into Monday’s rescheduled slalom in Crans Montana, Switzerland, Mikaela Shiffrin knew she was feeling good, but did not where she would stand in the World Cup field after taking two months off to heal from an injury sustained in Are, Sweden. It didn’t take long for spectators – and Shiffrin – to figure out that she’s right back where she left off: winning.

The American took the first run, leading over Sweden’s Frida Hansdotter and Slovakia’s Veronica Velez Zuzulova – both of whom took advantage of Shiffrin’s absence from the circuit to claim slalom wins in January and February.

“I was really nervous the first run,” Shiffrin recalled. “Like so nervous I thought I left my legs in the start. The second run was better. I felt like I was just back in the groove and (it was) really difficult, so I wasn’t exactly sure if I could ski well enough or fast enough in those ruts. And after watching Nastasia’s run, I was really like ‘I think she deserves to win this race’ But, you know, it’s a couple tenths here and there, and I was kind of lucky to come away with that.”

The American was able to handle the ruts formed in spring-like conditions as well as fog that reduced visibility, finishing the race with a combined time of 1:29.20, amassing a 0.45-second lead over second-place finisher Nastasia Noens of France. Canadian Marie-Michele Gagnon, fondly known as “Mitch” by her friends, secured her best result of the season, coming the third place. For both the Canadian and the French athletes, it was their third career podium.

“I’ve been adapting to different things,” Gagnon said. “It was a bit of inconsistency this season, but now I went home. I had a break. I recharged my batteries. I got to see my family and I’m just having fun and that’s the thing, you just gotta have fun because that’s when my best skiing comes out. The lesson is learned, but I got a good gift out of it, so I’m really happy and I’m stoked to be here in Crans Montana.”

The U.S. Ski Team’s Resi Stiegler also skied to a season-best result, landing in eigth place.

“I’m stoked, but I’m still hungry for more,” said Stiegler, who has been working her way towards a top 10 since her injury last season. . “I wasn’t totally satisfied with today, but I’m very very happy. After having my first run, coming down in 10th and staying there, and just starting the second run with a better position for getting towards the podium is huge for me.”

Her teammate Lila Lapanja made an impressive move in the first run, moving from 43rd to 17th, but was bested by the course on the second run and was unable to finish. American Paula Moltzan did not finish the first run.

Women’s World Cup racing continues in La Thuile, Italy, with downhill training runs scheduled to begin on Thursday, Feb. 18. However, the schedule may shift if the venue is able to pick up the canceled downhill from Crans Montana. The La Thuile series includes the last downhill runs before World Cup Finals in St. Moritz, Switzerland, in March.

The Scoop
by Hank Mckee

1. Shiffrin, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
2. Noens, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
3. Gagnon, Rossignol/Lange/Rossignol
4. Schild, Rossignol/Lange/Rossignol
5. Swenn-Larsson, Head/Head/Head
6. Hansdotter, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
7. Strachova, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
8. Stiegler, Rossignol/Lange/Rossignol
9. Holdener, Head/Head/Head
10. Velez Zuzulova, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

• Women’s World Cup slalom, Crans Montana, Switzerland, Jan. 15, 2016. … This is a make-up race from Maribor, Jan. 31, that was scuttled by bad weather. … It serves as the 26th race of the women’s 41 race schedule. … It is the eighth of 11 scheduled slaloms and the fourth rescheduled women’s slalom. … It is the 36^th World Cup race hosted by Crans Montana, the ninth slalom. …. Erika Hess won the last World Cup slalom at Crans Montana Jan. 21, 1981. … It is the first race back for Mikaela Shiffrin since her injury Dec. 12.
• It is the 18^th career World Cup win for Mikaela Shiffrin and her third of the season, all in slalom. … It is her first race since sustaining injury on Dec. 12. The winning margin is 0.45 of a second. … Top seven are within the same second. … Top 14 within two seconds
• It is the third career World Cup podium for Natasia Noens and a personal best World Cup result. … It is her fifth single digit result in eight slaloms this season.
• It is the third career World Cup podium for Marie-Michele Gagnon and her fifth top 10 of the season.
• It is the 20^th career World Cup top 10 for Resi Stiegler and her second of the season.
• Lindsey Vonn (did not race) holds the lead of the overall World Cup standings 1060-973 over Lara Gut (did not race). … Viktoria Rebensburg (did not race) is third overall with 820pts.
• Frida Hansdotter (sixth in race) leads the slalom standings 545-446 over Veronika Velez Zuzulova (tenth in race).  … Sarka Strachova (seventh in race) is third in the slalom standings ith 432pts. …. Mikaela Shiffrin jumps to sixth in the slalom standings with 300pts.
• Austria leads the women’s Nations Cup standings 3121-2535 over Italy. … Switzerland is third with 2386pts. … The U.S.  is fourth with 2134pts and Canada eighth with 869pts.

Official Results