OLYMPIC VALLEY, California – American standout Mikaela Shiffrin used a strong burst near the finish to win a giant slalom race as the World Cup returned to Squaw Valley for the first time since 1969.
Shiffrin finished in a combined time of 2 minutes, 16.42 seconds on Friday, eclipsing Federica Brignone of Italy by 0.07 seconds. Tessa Worley of France was third, 0.86 seconds back. Worley’s lead over Shiffrin in the season-long GS standings shrank to 80 points with just one event remaining in the discipline.
Usually so stoic after wins, Shiffrin was in a celebratory mood — tossing her right ski pole high into the air.
Shiffrin, who turns 22 on Monday, also increased her lead for the overall World Cup title. Her closest competitor, Slovenia’s Ilka Stuhec, crashed in the first run.
