ÖSV duo in the top 7

1.67 seconds! Shiffrin races to the crystal globe with a gala performance

Mikaela Shiffrin was unbeatable in Spindlermühle.(Bild: GEPA)

With a huge lead of 1.67 seconds, Mikaela Shiffrin outclassed the competition in Spindlermühle on Sunday and clinched the ninth slalom crystal globe of her career. Katharina Truppe was the best Austrian in fourth place, while Katharina Huber finished seventh.

What a demonstration of power from ski star Mikaela Shiffrin! The American skied to her 108th World Cup victory on Sunday and secured the small crystal globe in the Slalom World Cup ahead of schedule. In Czechia, the 30-year-old won with a lead of 1.67 seconds ahead of Switzerland's Camille Rast. Third place went to Germany's Emma Aicher (+2.18), three hundredths ahead of Katharina Truppe.

Katharina Truppe(Bild: GEPA)

The Flachau third-place finisher (+2.21) improved by five positions in the second run despite a major mistake. Katharina Huber also managed to catch up with a strong second run, finishing seventh (+2.91) in the top ten after being 14th at halftime. "I tried to take my heart in my hands," Huber said on ORF.

Katharina Gallhuber finished 14th (+4.28) in the Olympic dress rehearsal, making a strong case for a nomination for the Winter Games in Italy. "I would have preferred to have achieved a spectacular result today," emphasized the Lower Austrian. In addition to Gallhuber, Lisa Hörhager, who fell and was eliminated, is also in the running for a place in Cortina. She was taken to hospital for examination.

Katharina Gallhuber(Bild: GEPA)

Among the red-white-red slalom women, only Truppe and Huber have secured their Olympic tickets. Hörhager suffered a tear in the syndesmotic ligament in her left ankle during slalom training around Christmas, and this area and her hip were now causing her pain. Her knee should be fine.

Here are the final results:

A total of 17 globes for Shiffrin
With two races to go before the end of the season, Shiffrin now has an unassailable 288-point lead over Rast in the Slalom World Cup. In the overall World Cup, Shiffrin extended her lead over the Swiss skier to 170 points after her 71st Slalom World Cup victory, her seventh in eight races this Olympic winter. For the five-time overall World Cup winner, it is her twelfth discipline globe after two overall victories in giant slalom and one in super-G.

(Bild: GEPA)

"Nice surprise
She hadn't really thought about the globe, Shiffrin explained in the finish area. "There were so many things to consider on the course. It's a nice surprise," said the exceptional athlete. "It just feels great to be here," said Shiffrin, who won her first crystal globe 13 years ago. She is still three behind record holder and compatriot Lindsey Vonn. Shiffrin is also the first female ski racer in alpine skiing history to win nine crystal globes in one discipline.

Shiffrin "untouchable" for Truppe
"She just stands well centered on her skis, avoids big mistakes, and that makes her untouchable once again," said Truppe about her competitor. Exactly 15 years ago, Shiffrin made her World Cup debut at this very venue, and on Sunday she had already built up the biggest halfway lead (1.26 seconds) in the Slalom World Cup in eight years in the first run. But at the Olympics, "a totally different challenge" awaits her, Shiffrin emphasized.