Shiffrin Sweeps Courchevel
Watch out for Mikaela Shiffrin. The American phenom took her first giant slalom and parallel races of the season Tuesday and Wednesday in Courchevel, France, and further cemented her place atop the overall World Cup standings.
In fact, Shiffrin now leads the overall, downhill, slalom, and GS standings heading into the Christmas break and she has tallied wins in four disciplines so far this season. Given her surprise speed form in Lake Louise earlier this month, it would not be unrealistic to think that Shiffrin could win in an unprecedented six disciplines this season with a win in combined and a win in super-G, both of which are more than possible given her current form.
Although the Shiffrin camp has stated time and again that their priority is still the tech events this season, it’s hard to imagine Shiffrin passing up the opportunity to rewrite the record books.
“I’m definitely taking more risk,” Shiffrin said after her GS win on Tuesday. “That was a huge step for me. Some of those turns that I made were my best turns. For sure there were some scrappy turns and some mistakes, but the whole general mentality was aggressive and that’s been hard for me to get to a place that I feel confident doing that.”
The American won the GS by an impressive 0.99 seconds over home favorite and reigning World Champion Tessa Worley of France. 34-year-old Italian Manuela Moelgg also grabbed her third straight third-place finish in the golden years of her career, 1.01 seconds behind Shiffrin.
The only two other American starters on Tuesday, Nina O’Brien and Patricia Mangan, both did not finish their first runs.
In Wednesday’s parallel slalom, the first standalone women’s parallel event of it’s kind, the morning’s qualification run saw Shiffrin set the pace as the number one qualifier. Rivals Wendy Holdener and Petra Vlhova finised fifth and eighth, respectively, setting the stage for a exciting evening of dual racing under the lights.
“I had a couple days of training in parallel slalom and some starts with the city event gates,” Shiffrin said of her preparations. “Not too much because it’s sort of slalom with GS positioning, but a couple days of training was helpful.”
Shiffrin easily made her way through the heats as many women struggled to even make it to the finish line with the fast tempo and tight tuns, especially towards the final gates of the course. Eventually, Shiffrin found herself in the finals facing Vlhova, who also made quick work of the heats.
The finals were neck-and-neck the length of the course with neither racer willing to give up an inch on the other. Shiffrin out-lunged Vlhova for the line, however, taking the win by a mere 0.04 seconds. Surprise third place went to Italy’s Irene Curtoni for her second career World Cup podium and first since the GS in Ofterschwang, Germany, in 2012.
“It was a long day and I had to stay focused but also sort of relaxed until the last minute when we started to race,” Shiffrin shared after the race. “It was a tough fight and the courses got a little bit bumpy here and there, especially in the final with Petra. She’s been so strong and she’s been pushing me so hard already this season that I was in the start gate like, ‘Not today!’ It’s really cool to have this kind of a fight with her and I think it was really cool for everybody to watch.”
The women’s tour now breaks for the holidays and will return with slalom and GS action from Lienz, Austria, Dec. 28-29.
Fans can stay up to date on World Cup by downloading the U.S. Ski Team – Ski Racing app for iOSand Android.
GS Top 10
- Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) – Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
- Tessa Worley (FRA) – Rossignol/Rossignol/Look
- Manuella Moelgg (ITA) – Dynastar/Lange/Look
- Ragnhild Mowinckel (NOR) – Head/Head/Head
- Nina Haver-Loeseth (NOR) – Rossignol/Rossignol/Look
- Melanie Meillard (SUI) – Rossignol/Rossignol/Look
- Adeline Baud-Mugnier (FRA) – Rossignol/Rossignol/Look
- Marta Bassino (ITA) – Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
- Wendy Holdener (SUI) – Head/Head/Head
- Lara Gut (SUI) – Head/Head/Head
GS Official Results
| Rank | Bib | FIS Code | Name | Year | Nation | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total Time | Diff. | FIS Points | WC Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 6535237 | SHIFFRIN Mikaela | 1995 | USA | 1:01.30 | 1:01.10 | 2:02.40 | 0.00 | 100 | |
| 2 | 7 | 196928 | WORLEY Tessa | 1989 | FRA | 1:02.72 | 1:00.67 | 2:03.39 | +0.99 | 7.93 | 80 |
| 3 | 1 | 296259 | MOELGG Manuela | 1983 | ITA | 1:02.04 | 1:01.37 | 2:03.41 | +1.01 | 8.09 | 60 |
| 4 | 14 | 425929 | MOWINCKEL Ragnhild | 1992 | NOR | 1:02.36 | 1:01.06 | 2:03.42 | +1.02 | 8.17 | 50 |
| 5 | 11 | 425771 | HAVER-LOESETH Nina | 1989 | NOR | 1:02.26 | 1:01.44 | 2:03.70 | +1.30 | 10.41 | 45 |
| 6 | 19 | 516528 | MEILLARD Melanie | 1998 | SUI | 1:02.42 | 1:01.31 | 2:03.73 | +1.33 | 10.65 | 40 |
| 7 | 24 | 197319 | BAUD MUGNIER Adeline | 1992 | FRA | 1:02.80 | 1:01.27 | 2:04.07 | +1.67 | 13.37 | 36 |
| 8 | 2 | 299276 | BASSINO Marta | 1996 | ITA | 1:01.81 | 1:02.34 | 2:04.15 | +1.75 | 14.01 | 32 |
| 9 | 16 | 516280 | HOLDENER Wendy | 1993 | SUI | 1:02.84 | 1:01.37 | 2:04.21 | +1.81 | 14.49 | 29 |
| 10 | 12 | 516138 | GUT Lara | 1991 | SUI | 1:03.43 | 1:00.84 | 2:04.27 | +1.87 | 14.97 | 26 |
| 11 | 15 | 565268 | DREV Ana | 1985 | SLO | 1:02.82 | 1:01.52 | 2:04.34 | +1.94 | 15.53 | 24 |
| 11 | 13 | 506399 | HECTOR Sara | 1992 | SWE | 1:03.49 | 1:00.85 | 2:04.34 | +1.94 | 15.53 | 24 |
| 13 | 33 | 225525 | TILLEY Alex | 1993 | GBR | 1:03.56 | 1:00.95 | 2:04.51 | +2.11 | 16.89 | 20 |
| 14 | 4 | 205218 | REBENSBURG Viktoria | 1989 | GER | 1:02.36 | 1:02.25 | 2:04.61 | +2.21 | 17.69 | 18 |
| 15 | 26 | 56174 | HAASER Ricarda | 1993 | AUT | 1:03.69 | 1:00.95 | 2:04.64 | +2.24 | 17.93 | 16 |
| 16 | 3 | 298323 | GOGGIA Sofia | 1992 | ITA | 1:02.77 | 1:01.95 | 2:04.72 | +2.32 | 18.58 | 15 |
| 17 | 39 | 565471 | HROVAT Meta | 1998 | SLO | 1:03.99 | 1:00.84 | 2:04.83 | +2.43 | 19.46 | 14 |
| 18 | 9 | 56217 | BRUNNER Stephanie | 1994 | AUT | 1:03.08 | 1:01.78 | 2:04.86 | +2.46 | 19.70 | 13 |
| 19 | 21 | 296509 | CURTONI Irene | 1985 | ITA | 1:03.70 | 1:01.23 | 2:04.93 | +2.53 | 20.26 | 12 |
| 20 | 30 | 197616 | ALPHAND Estelle | 1995 | SWE | 1:03.21 | 1:01.90 | 2:05.11 | +2.71 | 21.70 | 11 |
| 21 | 28 | 56199 | KAPPAURER Elisabeth | 1994 | AUT | 1:03.05 | 1:02.12 | 2:05.17 | +2.77 | 22.18 | 10 |
| 22 | 22 | 565373 | ROBNIK Tina | 1991 | SLO | 1:03.94 | 1:01.40 | 2:05.34 | +2.94 | 23.54 | 9 |
| 23 | 20 | 197124 | FRASSE SOMBET Coralie | 1991 | FRA | 1:04.40 | 1:01.07 | 2:05.47 | +3.07 | 24.58 | 8 |
| 24 | 18 | 516268 | WILD Simone | 1993 | SUI | 1:03.36 | 1:02.20 | 2:05.56 | +3.16 | 25.30 | 7 |
| 25 | 52 | 197215 | MASSIOS Marie | 1992 | FRA | 1:04.18 | 1:01.67 | 2:05.85 | +3.45 | 27.62 | 6 |
| 26 | 17 | 505679 | HANSDOTTER Frida | 1985 | SWE | 1:04.08 | 1:01.83 | 2:05.91 | +3.51 | 28.10 | 5 |
| 27 | 40 | 55977 | THALMANN Carmen | 1989 | AUT | 1:04.13 | 1:01.84 | 2:05.97 | +3.57 | 28.58 | 4 |
| 28 | 10 | 705423 | VLHOVA Petra | 1995 | SVK | 1:02.99 | 1:03.61 | 2:06.60 | +4.20 | 33.63 | 3 |
| 29 | 48 | 107613 | GRENIER Valerie | 1996 | CAN | 1:04.34 | 1:02.34 | 2:06.68 | +4.28 | 34.27 | 2 |
| 30 | 8 | 55898 | BREM Eva-Maria | 1988 | AUT | 1:03.91 | 1:03.16 | 2:07.07 | +4.67 | 37.39 | 1 |
| Did not qualify for 2nd run | |||||||||||
| 71 | 945000 | CLERC Mialitiana | 2001 | MAD | 1:11.38 | 0 | |||||
| 70 | 225518 | GUEST Charlie | 1993 | GBR | 1:06.56 | 0 | |||||
| 69 | 415205 | HUDSON Piera | 1996 | NZL | 1:08.14 | 0 | |||||
| 68 | 65117 | VANREUSEL Kim | 1998 | BEL | 1:09.07 | 0 | |||||
| 67 | 56253 | HUBER Katharina | 1995 | AUT | 1:05.82 | 0 | |||||
| 65 | 35156 | BANCORA Salome | 1993 | ARG | 1:08.94 | 0 | |||||
| 63 | 35131 | GASTALDI Nicol | 1990 | ARG | 1:10.79 | 0 | |||||
| 61 | 115115 | BARAHONA Noelle | 1990 | CHI | 1:09.20 | 0 | |||||
| 59 | 516344 | KOPP Rahel | 1994 | SUI | 1:04.49 | 0 | |||||
| 57 | 299388 | BERTANI Luisa Matilde Maria | 1996 | ITA | 1:05.68 | 0 | |||||
| 56 | 106961 | MIELZYNSKI Erin | 1990 | CAN | 1:06.31 | 0 | |||||
| 54 | 435334 | GASIENICA-DANIEL Maryna | 1994 | POL | 1:05.53 | 0 | |||||
| 53 | 506348 | STAALNACKE Ylva | 1992 | SWE | 1:05.20 | 0 | |||||
| 51 | 516407 | KASPER Vanessa | 1996 | SUI | 1:04.68 | 0 | |||||
| 50 | 405138 | JELINKOVA Adriana | 1995 | NED | 1:04.97 | 0 | |||||
| 49 | 565401 | BUCIK Ana | 1993 | SLO | 1:04.77 | 0 | |||||
| 46 | 426100 | HOLTMANN Mina Fuerst | 1995 | NOR | 1:05.06 | 0 | |||||
| 44 | 315187 | IGNJATOVIC Nevena | 1990 | SRB | 1:05.50 | 0 | |||||
| 43 | 425921 | HAUGEN Kristine Gjelsten | 1992 | NOR | 1:04.89 | 0 | |||||
| 42 | 107747 | SMART Amelia | 1998 | CAN | 1:07.69 | 0 | |||||
| 38 | 56388 | LIENSBERGER Katharina | 1997 | AUT | 1:04.90 | 0 | |||||
| 35 | 107532 | TOMMY Mikaela | 1995 | CAN | 1:06.61 | 0 | |||||
| 34 | 355061 | HILZINGER Jessica | 1997 | GER | 1:04.51 | 0 | |||||
| 32 | 55947 | VEITH Anna | 1989 | AUT | 1:04.60 | 0 | |||||
| 31 | 516284 | GISIN Michelle | 1993 | SUI | 1:05.04 | 0 | |||||
| 29 | 196725 | BARIOZ Taina | 1988 | FRA | 1:05.11 | 0 | |||||
| 23 | 56032 | SCHILD Bernadette | 1990 | AUT | 1:04.69 | 0 | |||||
| Did not finish 1st run | |||||||||||
| 66 | 555018 | GASUNA Lelde | 1990 | LAT | 0 | ||||||
| 64 | 665009 | SHKANOVA Maria | 1989 | BLR | 0 | ||||||
| 62 | 425981 | SKJOELD Maren | 1993 | NOR | 0 | ||||||
| 58 | 155699 | PAULATHOVA Katerina | 1993 | CZE | 0 | ||||||
| 55 | 506146 | SWENN LARSSON Anna | 1991 | SWE | 0 | ||||||
| 47 | 6535773 | O BRIEN Nina | 1997 | USA | 0 | ||||||
| 45 | 6535765 | MANGAN Patricia | 1997 | USA | 0 | ||||||
| 41 | 206487 | WIESLER Maren | 1993 | GER | 0 | ||||||
| 37 | 197651 | DIREZ Clara | 1995 | FRA | 0 | ||||||
| 36 | 385096 | POPOVIC Leona | 1997 | CRO | 0 | ||||||
| 27 | 426187 | LYSDAHL Kristin | 1996 | NOR | 0 | ||||||
| 6 | 297601 | BRIGNONE Federica | 1990 | ITA | 0 | ||||||
| Disqualified 1st run | |||||||||||
| 25 | 56315 | TRUPPE Katharina | 1996 | AUT | 0 | ||||||
| Did not start 1st run | |||||||||||
| 60 | 506341 | WIKSTROEM Emelie | 1992 | SWE | 0 | ||||||
Parallel Top 10
1. Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) – Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
2. Petra Vlhova (SVK) – Rossignol/Rossignol/Look
3. Irene Curtoni (ITA) – Rossignol/Rossignol/Look
4. Maren Skjoeld (NOR) – Voelkl/Dalbello/Marker
5. Ricarda Haaser (AUT) – Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
5. Wendy Holdener (SUI) – Head/Head/Head
7.Katharina Truppe (AUT) – Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
8. Denise Feierabend (SUI) – Head/Head/Head
9. Christina Geiger (GER) – Rossignol/Rossignol/Look
10. Frida Hansdotter (SWE) – Rossignol/Rossignol/Look
Parallel Official Results
| Rank | Bib | FIS Code | Name | Year | Nation | Total Time | Diff. | WC Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 6535237 | SHIFFRIN Mikaela | 1995 | USA | 100 | ||
| 2 | 2 | 705423 | VLHOVA Petra | 1995 | SVK | 80 | ||
| 3 | 12 | 296509 | CURTONI Irene | 1985 | ITA | 60 | ||
| 4 | 6 | 425981 | SKJOELD Maren | 1993 | NOR | 50 | ||
| 5 | 24 | 56174 | HAASER Ricarda | 1993 | AUT | 45 | ||
| 5 | 3 | 516280 | HOLDENER Wendy | 1993 | SUI | 45 | ||
| 7 | 13 | 56315 | TRUPPE Katharina | 1996 | AUT | 36 | ||
| 8 | 10 | 515997 | FEIERABEND Denise | 1989 | SUI | 32 | ||
| 9 | 11 | 206279 | GEIGER Christina | 1990 | GER | 29 | ||
| 10 | 4 | 505679 | HANSDOTTER Frida | 1985 | SWE | 26 | ||
| 11 | 8 | 516528 | MEILLARD Melanie | 1998 | SUI | 24 | ||
| 12 | 16 | 55977 | THALMANN Carmen | 1989 | AUT | 22 | ||
| 13 | 28 | 355061 | HILZINGER Jessica | 1997 | GER | 20 | ||
| 14 | 26 | 315187 | IGNJATOVIC Nevena | 1990 | SRB | 18 | ||
| 15 | 15 | 206536 | WALLNER Marina | 1994 | GER | 16 | ||
| 16 | 19 | 197319 | BAUD MUGNIER Adeline | 1992 | FRA | 15 | ||
| 17 | 31 | 435334 | GASIENICA-DANIEL Maryna | 1994 | POL | 14 | ||
| 18 | 20 | 565320 | FERK Marusa | 1988 | SLO | 13 | ||
| 19 | 5 | 56032 | SCHILD Bernadette | 1990 | AUT | 12 | ||
| 20 | 9 | 296354 | COSTAZZA Chiara | 1984 | ITA | 11 | ||
| 21 | 18 | 106961 | MIELZYNSKI Erin | 1990 | CAN | 10 | ||
| 22 | 21 | 56217 | BRUNNER Stephanie | 1994 | AUT | 9 | ||
| 23 | 7 | 565401 | BUCIK Ana | 1993 | SLO | 8 | ||
| 24 | 22 | 296259 | MOELGG Manuela | 1983 | ITA | 7 | ||
| 25 | 29 | 405138 | JELINKOVA Adriana | 1995 | NED | 6 | ||
| 26 | 17 | 506146 | SWENN LARSSON Anna | 1991 | SWE | 5 | ||
| 27 | 23 | 196806 | NOENS Nastasia | 1988 | FRA | 4 | ||
| 28 | 14 | 537772 | STIEGLER Resi | 1985 | USA | 3 | ||
| 29 | 25 | 426100 | HOLTMANN Mina Fuerst | 1995 | NOR | 2 | ||
| 30 | 27 | 225525 | TILLEY Alex | 1993 | GBR | 1 | ||
| 31 | 30 | 107747 | SMART Amelia | 1998 | CAN | 1 | ||
| 32 | 32 | 197124 | FRASSE SOMBET Coralie | 1991 | FRA | 1 |
About the Author: Sean Higgins
