Shiffrin straddles gate as Slovakian skier Vlhova takes lead in 1st run of women's World Cup slalom
Mikaela Shiffrin has straddled a gate and did not finish the first run of a women’s World Cup slalom with Slovakian skier Petra Vlhova leading the race
By AP News
Published - Jan 07, 2024, 05:12 AM ET
Last Updated - Jan 07, 2024, 05:12 AM EST
KRANJSKA GORA, Slovenia (AP) — Mikaela Shiffrin straddled a gate and didn’t finish the first run of a women’s World Cup slalom Sunday, with Slovakian skier Petra Vlhova leading the race.
Racing in falling snow, Shiffrin trailed her main rival by 0.47 seconds at the first checkpoint before the American’s left ski went the wrong side of a gate 24 seconds into her run.
It was a rare mishap for Shiffrin, who last straddled a gate in a World Cup race in the second run of a slalom on the same hill in Slovenia in January 2022, a month before the Beijing Olympics.
Shiffrin has been fighting a cold this week and finished in only ninth position in Saturday’s giant slalom. She then skipped the mandatory public bib draw for Sunday’s race.
