Mikaela Shiffrin wins another slalom by over 2 seconds as French sweep men’s podium

By Published On: March 19th, 2016Comments Off on Mikaela Shiffrin wins another slalom by over 2 seconds as French sweep men’s podium

St. Moritz was a busy place on Saturday as the crowds rolled in to enjoy the snow, sunshine and World Cup racing as the men’s giant slalom and women’s  slalom seasons came to a close side by side.

Women began the day with the U.S. Ski Team’s slalom queen, Mikaela Shiffrin, taking a decisive lead in the first run. Her 0.72 margin only increased on the second run, coming in 2.03 seconds ahead of Slovakia’s Veronika Velez Zuzulova by the end of the race. Shiffrin’s victory, however, was not enough to launch her into the top three in the final slalom standings, as she was mathematically out of contention before the race even started.

Shiffrin’s teammate, Resi Stiegler, ended up in 11th place in her final race of the season.

Frida Hansdotter collected the discipline globe, which she will bring home to Sweden. While the globe was decided weeks ago, the Hansdotter’s third-place finish in Switzerland was a testament to her consistent, strong skiing all season.

“It’s an amazing day for me,” said Hansdotter after the race. “To stand there with the globe is something I have always dreamed of and I just don’t have words to explain the feelings and emotions and what this means to me.”

The French team absolutely dominated the men’s race, sweeping the podium in the final giant slalom of the season. Thomas Fanara beat out his teammate, Alexis Pinturault, by 0.02 seconds, earning his first-ever World Cup victory in the process. The youngest of the three Frenchmen, Mathieu Faivre, won the first run and ended up in third position to complete the sweep.

“It’s just an amazing feeling to get my first career victory,” said Fanara. “To share this with my teammates makes it that much more special for me. I want to enjoy this moment with the entire French team. So many other racers came up and congratulated me, and I could see in their eyes they were sincerely happy that I won today and that means a lot to me.”

SANKT MORITZ,SWITZERLAND,19.MAR.16 - ALPINE SKIING - FIS World Cup Final, giantslalom, men, award ceremony for the giantslalom World Cup. Image shows  Marcel Hirscher (AUT). Keywords: crystal globe, trophy. Photo: GEPA pictures/ Harald Steiner

Austria’s Marcel Hirscher already wrapped up the GS title in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, earlier this month, amassing an 111-point lead over a late-season surge by Alexis Pinturault. The Austrian’s performance on Saturday had little effect on the season rankings, but the fifth-place result certainly did not hurt as he earned the third giant slalom globe of his career.

Hirscher remained steady in GS all season long, finding himself off the podium just once this year with a sixth-place finish in Yuzawa Naeba, Japan. The Austrian superstar will likely have a bigger fight on his hands next season, however, as Pinturault, a clearly strong French team, and the injured Ted Ligety will aim to be in top form come the season opener in Soelden, Austria. 

On Sunday, Hirscher will compete in the slalom – an event he can win – and then be crowned as the overall winner for the fifth time in his career. The women will race giant slalom alongside the men. Action starts at 8:30 a.m. CET.


The Scoop
By Hank McKee

  1. Shiffrin, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
  2. Velez-Zuzulova, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
  3. Hansdotter, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
  4. Holdener, Head/Head/Head
  5. Kirchgasser, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
  6. Pietiliae-Holmner, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
  7. Barthet, Head/Head/Head
  8. Thalmann, Head/Head/Head
  9. Strachova, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
  10. Gagnon, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
  • Women’s World Cup slalom, St. Moritz, Switzerland, March 19, 2016. … It is the 39th race of the women’s schedule. … The 10th of 10 slaloms and third of four women’s race at World Cup Finals.
  • It is the 20th career World Cup win for Mikaela Shiffrin. … Her 19th in slalom. … It is the  302nd U.S. World Cup win. … It is her fifth win of the season and third after returning from injury. … It is the 15th U.S. WOrld Cup win of the season. … The winning margin is 2.03 seconds. … Top six are within three seconds.
  • It is the 25th career World Cup podium for Veronika Velez-Zuzulova. … Her sixth of the season (seven slalom and one city event, scored as a slalom).
  • It is the 23rd career World Cup podium for Frida Hansdotter. … Her eighth of the season. … She was the only Swedish woman to podium in slalom this season.
  • It is the 44th career top 10 for Marie-Michele Gagnon. … Her 11th of the season. … Resi Stiegler matches her 22nd best World Cup score. … It is her fourth best result of the season. … It is the 34th career scoring finish for Erin Mielzynski. … Her sixth of the season.
  • Lara Gut (did not race) leads the World Cup overall standings over Lindsey Vonn 1462-1235 with one race remaining and cannot be beaten for the overall crown. … Viktoria Rebensburg is third overall with 1047pts. … Shiffrin closes to ninth overall with 648pts.
  • Frida Hansdotter wins the slalom title 711-626 over Veronika Velez Zuzulova. … Wendy Holdener finishes third with 561pts. … Shiffrin is fourth with 500pts having missed five mid-season races.
  • Austria leads the women’s Nations Cup standings 4641-4113 over Italy. … Switzerland is third with 3995, the U.S. fourth with 3017pts and Canada eighth with 1307pts.
  1. Fanara, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
  2. Pinturault, Head/Head/Head
  3. Faivre, Head/Head/Head
  4. Schoerghofer, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
  5. Hirscher, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
  6. Sandell, Nordica/Nordica
  7. Eisath, Blizzard/Tecnica
  8. Muffat-Jeandet, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
  9. Murisier, Volkl/Dalbello/Marker
  10. Kristoffersen, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
  • Men’s World Cup giant slalom, St. Moritz, Switzerland, March 19, 2016. … It is the 43rd race of the men’s World Cup schedule with one remaining. … It is the 11th of 11 giant slaloms.
  • It is the second time this season French men have swept a World Cup podium, the previous in combined at Kitzbuehel Jan. 22. … It is the first career World Cup win for Thomas Fanara. … It is his third podium of the season, all in GS. … The winning margin is 0.02 of a second. … Top six are within the same second. … Top 14 within two seconds.
  • It is the 36th career World Cup podium for Alexis Pinturault … His 20th in GS. … It is his eighth podium of the season.
  • It is the second career World Cup podium for Mathieu Faivre, the first also in GS, coming earlier this season at Yuzawa Naeba Feb. 13.
  • It is just the sixth time this season Marcel Hirscher has not finished on the podium in a competed race. … It is the sixth completed race of the season for Tim Jitloff.
  • Marcel Hirscher win the World Cup overall. … With one race remaining he leads Henrik Kristoffersen 1670-1272. … Alexis Pinturault is third with 1098pts.
  • Hirscher wins the GS title 766-690 over Pinturault. … It is his third GS crown. … Kristoffersen is third with 487pts.
  • Austria leads the men’s Nations Cup standings 5616-5531 over France. … Norway is third with 4773. … the U.S. is seventh at 2154 and Canada ninth at 744pts.

Official Women’s Slalom Results

 1  4  6535237 SHIFFRIN Mikaela 1995 USA  51.03  52.93  1:43.96  0.00
 2  7  705287 VELEZ ZUZULOVA Veronika 1984 SVK  52.27  53.72  1:45.99  +2.03  14.06
 3  5  505679 HANSDOTTER Frida 1985 SWE  52.29  53.98  1:46.27  +2.31  16.00
 4  1  516280 HOLDENER Wendy 1993 SUI  52.03  54.59  1:46.62  +2.66  18.42
 5  14  55759 KIRCHGASSER Michaela 1985 AUT  52.66  54.17  1:46.83  +2.87  19.88
 6  12  505760 PIETILAE-HOLMNER Maria 1986 SWE  52.80  54.06  1:46.86  +2.90  20.08
 7  9  196726 BARTHET Anne-Sophie 1988 FRA  53.01  54.06  1:47.07  +3.11  21.54
 8  10  55977 THALMANN Carmen 1989 AUT  53.04  54.19  1:47.23  +3.27  22.65
 9  3  155415 STRACHOVA Sarka 1985 CZE  53.02  54.38  1:47.40  +3.44  23.82
 10  11  105269 GAGNON Marie-Michele 1989 CAN  53.00  54.60  1:47.60  +3.64  25.21
 11  15  537772 STIEGLER Resi 1985 USA  52.80  54.97  1:47.77  +3.81  26.39
 12  25  206355 DUERR Lena 1991 GER  52.99  54.97  1:47.96  +4.00  27.70
 13  18  56032 SCHILD Bernadette 1990 AUT  53.69  54.37  1:48.06  +4.10  28.40
 14  19  106961 MIELZYNSKI Erin 1990 CAN  53.75  54.35  1:48.10  +4.14  28.67
 15  23  206279 GEIGER Christina 1990 GER  53.58  54.81  1:48.39  +4.43  30.68
 16  26  297601 BRIGNONE Federica 1990 ITA  53.81  54.69  1:48.50  +4.54  31.44
 17  21  56315 TRUPPE Katharina 1996 AUT  53.94  54.65  1:48.59  +4.63  32.07
 18  6  705423 VLHOVA Petra 1995 SVK  52.31  56.61  1:48.92  +4.96  34.35
 19  17  506146 SWENN-LARSSON Anna 1991 SWE  53.38  55.58  1:48.96  +5.00  34.63
 20  22  296354 COSTAZZA Chiara 1984 ITA  54.53  54.93  1:49.46  +5.50  38.09
Did not finish 2nd run
 20  506341 WIKSTROEM Emelie 1992 SWE
 13  425771 LOESETH Nina 1989 NOR
 2  196806 NOENS Nastasia 1988 FRA
Did not finish 1st run
 27  206701 WILLIBALD Elisabeth 1996 GER
 24  56143 GRUENWALD Julia 1991 AUT
 16  296509 CURTONI Irene 1985 ITA
 8  516284 GISIN Michelle 1993 SUI

Official Men’s GS Results

 1  14  191750 FANARA Thomas 1981 FRA  1:08.45  1:06.47  2:14.92  0.00
 2  6  194364 PINTURAULT Alexis 1991 FRA  1:08.09  1:06.85  2:14.94  +0.02  0.15
 3  4  194495 FAIVRE Mathieu 1992 FRA  1:07.89  1:07.17  2:15.06  +0.14  1.02
 4  3  51007 SCHOERGHOFER Philipp 1983 AUT  1:08.74  1:06.94  2:15.68  +0.76  5.52
 5  7  53831 HIRSCHER Marcel 1989 AUT  1:08.91  1:06.93  2:15.84  +0.92  6.68
 6  22  180534 SANDELL Marcus 1987 FIN  1:08.86  1:06.99  2:15.85  +0.93  6.76
 7  15  292967 EISATH Florian 1984 ITA  1:08.36  1:07.58  2:15.94  +1.02  7.41
 8  5  193967 MUFFAT-JEANDET Victor 1989 FRA  1:09.07  1:07.00  2:16.07  +1.15  8.35
 9  9  511896 MURISIER Justin 1992 SUI  1:09.11  1:07.03  2:16.14  +1.22  8.86
 10  1  422304 KRISTOFFERSEN Henrik 1994 NOR  1:09.41  1:06.84  2:16.25  +1.33  9.66
 11  26  422139 KILDE Aleksander Aamodt 1992 NOR  1:09.95  1:06.59  2:16.54  +1.62  11.77
 12  23  511852 CAVIEZEL Gino 1992 SUI  1:09.42  1:07.15  2:16.57  +1.65  11.98
 13  25  54031 LEITINGER Roland 1991 AUT  1:09.62  1:07.12  2:16.74  +1.82  13.22
 14  16  421483 JANSRUD Kjetil 1985 NOR  1:09.42  1:07.46  2:16.88  +1.96  14.24
 15  19  292000 BLARDONE Massimiliano 1979 ITA  1:09.70  1:07.29  2:16.99  +2.07  15.04
 16  21  292491 MOELGG Manfred 1982 ITA  1:09.68  1:07.40  2:17.08  +2.16  15.69
 17  20  202462 DOPFER Fritz 1987 GER  1:09.62  1:07.69  2:17.31  +2.39  17.36
 18  2  201702 NEUREUTHER Felix 1984 GER  1:10.17  1:07.27  2:17.44  +2.52  18.30
 19  17  511313 JANKA Carlo 1986 SUI  1:10.12  1:07.39  2:17.51  +2.59  18.81
 20  24  534959 JITLOFF Tim 1985 USA  1:10.16  1:07.43  2:17.59  +2.67  19.39
 21  12  294890 NANI Roberto 1988 ITA  1:09.94  1:07.69  2:17.63  +2.71  19.68
 22  28  512269 ODERMATT Marco 1997 SUI  1:10.92  1:07.00  2:17.92  +3.00  21.79
 23  27  53980 KRIECHMAYR Vincent 1991 AUT  1:10.83  1:07.75  2:18.58  +3.66  26.58
Did not finish 2nd run
 18  291318 TONETTI Riccardo 1989 ITA
 11  501017 MYHRER Andre 1983 SWE
Did not finish 1st run
 13  202437 LUITZ Stefan 1992 GER
 10  421669 HAUGEN Leif Kristian 1987 NOR
 8  54063 FELLER Manuel 1992 AUT

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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