WEATHER ALERT

Swiss skier Gisin ends Shiffrin-Vlhova winning slalom streak

Advertisement

Advertise with us

SEMMERING, Austria - Michelle Gisin earned her maiden World Cup win on Tuesday, becoming the first Swiss skier to win a women’s slalom in nearly 19 years.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Monthly Digital Subscription

$1 per week for 24 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*Billed as $4.00 plus GST every four weeks. After 24 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.00 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

Monthly Digital Subscription

$4.75/week*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*Billed as $19 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional

$1 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles
Start now

No thanks

*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $16.99 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $23.99 plus GST every four weeks.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/12/2020 (1740 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SEMMERING, Austria – Michelle Gisin earned her maiden World Cup win on Tuesday, becoming the first Swiss skier to win a women’s slalom in nearly 19 years.

Gisin trailed first-run leader Mikaela Shiffrin by two-hundredths of a second but posted the second-fastest time in the final run as the American dropped to third, 0.57 behind.

Gisin’s win ended a streak of 28 slaloms that were won by either Shiffrin, who triumphed 19 times, or Petra Vlhova. That streak started in January 2017.

Switzerland's Michelle Gisin speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Semmering, Austria, Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)
Switzerland's Michelle Gisin speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Semmering, Austria, Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

“I broke the incredible run of two giants,” Gisin said. “It’s a perfect day.”

Erin Mielzynski of Collingwood, Ont., was 18th, Laurence St-Germain of St. Ferréol-les-Neiges, Que., was 21st and Amelia Smart of Invermere, B.C., was 25th.

Vlhova was nearly nine-tenths off the pace in sixth after the first run before improving to fourth.

Vlhova had won all five slaloms since Shiffrin last won in Lienz, Austria, one year ago.

Katharina Liensberger posted the fastest time in the final run and the Austrian trailed Gisin by 0.11 in second.

It was the first slalom win for the Swiss women’s team since Marlies Oester shared victory with Kristina Koznick of the United States at a race in Berchtesgaden, Germany, in January 2002.

The Swiss drought lasted for 162 slaloms.

Slovakia's Petra Vlhova speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Semmering, Austria, Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)
Slovakia's Petra Vlhova speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Semmering, Austria, Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Gisin had nine previous podium results on the World Cup but was lacking a victory.

However, she won Olympic gold in the combined event in Pyeongchang in 2018, four years after her sister, Dominique Gisin, shared victory with Tina Maze in the Olympic downhill from Sochi.

Federica Brignone, who dethroned Shiffrin as overall champion last season, was 16th in the Italian’s weakest discipline.

Shiffrin’s American teammate Nina O’Brien scored a personal best in slalom, finishing ninth.

The floodlit slalom took place a day after strong winds had destroyed parts the finish area between two runs of a giant slalom as gusts blew away safety fencing and sponsor banners.

Workers rebuilt the setup at the bottom of the Zauberberg course early Tuesday.

Slovakia's Petra Vlhova gets to the finish area after completing an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Semmering, Austria, Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)
Slovakia's Petra Vlhova gets to the finish area after completing an alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom, in Semmering, Austria, Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

The women’s World Cup continues with another slalom in Zagreb, Croatia, on Sunday.

___

More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Report Error Submit a Tip

Olympics

LOAD MORE