Copper Cup Slalom podium/Burnhamphoto
Mikaela Shiffrin lit up Copper Mountain on Sunday, profitable the Stifel Copper Cup slalom offered by United Airways by a towering 1.57 seconds to assert her fourth straight World Cup slalom victory. She led a podium of Shiffrin, Germany’s Lena Dürr, and Albania’s Lara Colturi, and delivered the a hundredth U.S. ladies’s World Cup slalom win in historical past.
“I may hear you guys from the beginning, so thanks,” Shiffrin stated.“I felt good this run… I linked with the monitor so good, and it was lovely to ski.”
Early movers set the tone
With the second run flipped, the slowest qualifiers attacked first and instantly confirmed that the Copper course rewarded dedicated, rhythmic snowboarding.
France’s Caitlin McFarlane, now the one skier this season to beat Shiffrin in a single World Cup slalom run, produced the cost of the afternoon. She attacked with out touching the brakes, posting the quickest second-run time and climbing 16 locations to complete twelfth.
“I simply needed to have enjoyable… I didn’t have the perfect sensations on the primary run, so I simply thought, go for it. No urgent on the brakes,” McFarlane stated.“I simply need to hold pushing me. I need to get greater and better.”
Norway’s Thea Louise Stjernesund, the best bib to qualify, additionally surged, leaping 11 locations with balanced, assured snowboarding. Switzerland’s Mélanie Meillard matched that, transferring up 11 spots through the second run. Their large inexperienced arrows on the ultimate stay timing report underlined how a lot the course rewarded clear timing and courageous traces.
Moltzan ignites the house crowd
The end stadium erupted when Paula Moltzan dropped in because the nineteenth starter of the second run. She attacked from the primary gate, constructed on her first-run benefit, and took the lead by 0.49 seconds to one of many loudest roars of the afternoon.
Moltzan finally slipped to eighth, however nonetheless moved up 4 locations and secured one other top-10 on residence snow — an vital constructing block in her slalom season.
Swiss depth and the center part
Seven Swiss ladies certified for the second run — greater than some other nation — and their depth confirmed all through the afternoon. Wendy Holdener led the cost in fourth, with Camille Rast including a robust Tenth-place end result. Meillard’s 11-place surge up the leaderboard saved Swiss colours within the combine because the quicker first-run starters attacked their second runs.
Remaining eight determine the rostrum
As the ultimate eight starters entered the gate, the struggle for the rostrum tightened.
Sweden’s Anna Swenn Larsson led Dürr by way of the early sectors earlier than dropping time decrease and crossing 0.49 again.Germany’s Emma Aicher, a rising three-event star with a Levi podium this season, took a line that was too straight for the rhythm and skied out.Austria’s Katharina Truppe bled time steadily and completed 0.64 behind Dürr.
Then Lara Colturi, already with two slalom podiums this winter, attacked the monitor. She held a slim lead on the prime, couldn’t totally carry it onto the flat, however nonetheless secured third at 0.28 behind Dürr.
“I’m for certain pleased with myself, particularly as a result of I work exhausting… I had an damage three years in the past and now I’m right here on the rostrum — that’s simply loopy,” Colturi stated.“I’ve been impressed by Mikaela since I used to be 5 years previous.”
Austria’s Katharina Liensberger and Switzerland’s Holdener each began with inexperienced numbers after which misplaced time on the decrease a part of the course, crossing 0.51 and 0.42 again, respectively. Their outcomes locked Colturi into third and ensured Dürr no worse than second.
Shiffrin closes it out
Final to begin, Shiffrin carried a commanding first-run lead and full expectation. She skied with attacking intent however with out panic, defending her benefit whereas nonetheless pushing on the pitch. McFarlane owned the quickest second run, Shiffrin posted the second-fastest, and Dürr the third-fastest, however Shiffrin’s two-run whole was in a category of its personal.
She crossed the road to a wall of noise, profitable by 1.57 seconds — her most dominant slalom margin up to now this season.
“All people right here is pushing, and I’ve to push… this one was like lights out. Wonderful,” Shiffrin stated.“Hopefully, many hours of sleeping… we solely arrived right here on Monday from Europe, so all people right here is fairly drained and prepared for a nap.”
Coaches’ View: Shiffrin’s Progress Runs Deeper Than Outcomes
Shiffrin’s lead coach Karen Harjo emphasised how significant the efficiency was given the yr she has labored to rebuild confidence and timing.
“I used to be actually pleased with her. It’s been a full yr since her crash in Killington, and returning in entrance of a house crowd with all that stress isn’t simple. She dealt with it with composure and actual high quality,” Harjo stated.“Individuals generally overlook the psychological aspect and the way lengthy it takes to come back again at this stage. She’s human, and at this time was one other sturdy step ahead.”
North Individuals
Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) — 1st, fourth straight slalom win and a hundredth U.S. ladies’s SL victory.
Paula Moltzan (USA) — eighth, moved up 4 locations after taking the lead because the nineteenth starter.
Laurence St-Germain (CAN) — fifteenth, attacking extra within the second run.“I used to be attacking far more and a bit extra relaxed in the beginning… general I believe it’s buildup from the primary run,” she stated.
Amelia Good (CAN) — twenty fifth, dropping 4 locations on the second run.
Nina O’Brien (USA) — twenty sixth, transferring up one spot and scoring in each occasions this weekend.“That is the primary weekend I’ve scored in GS and slalom possibly ever, so I’ll take small wins,” O’Brien stated.
Massive movers on the second run
Caitlin McFarlane (FRA) — quickest second run, up 16 locations
Thea Louise Stjernesund (NOR) — up 11 locations
Mélanie Meillard (SUI) — up 11 locations
Lena Dürr— up – 7 locations
Quickest second-runs
Caitlin McFarlane (FRA) — quickest second run
Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) — second-fastest
Lena Dürr (GER) — third-fastest
Shiffrin’s Slalom Streak Continues
Shiffrin stays undefeated in World Cup slalom this season, opening the winter by sweeping each runs in Levi, profitable each runs in Gurgl, and now including her third slalom victory of the marketing campaign in Copper Mountain. She was quickest within the first run on Sunday and delivered the second-fastest second run to safe her fourth straight slalom win and the a hundredth U.S. ladies’s World Cup slalom victory. Her 1.57-second benefit underscored one other decisive efficiency in a season the place she continues to boost the usual.
The ladies now journey to Tremblant, Quebec, for 2 World Cup large slaloms subsequent weekend earlier than returning to Europe for the remainder of the season.
High 30 After the First Run
click on pictures to enlarge
Run Evaluation: Leaders, Certified North Individuals
