Shiffrin leads 1st race after six-week injury layoff and closes in on World Cup slalom season title
Mikaela Shiffrin has made a strong return to the Alpine skiing World Cup after a six-week injury layoff as she posted the fastest time in the opening run of the season’s penultimate slalom
ARE, Sweden (AP) — Mikaela Shiffrin made a strong return to the Alpine skiing World Cup after a six-week injury layoff Sunday, posting the fastest time in the opening run of the season’s penultimate slalom.
Racing for the first time since hurting her left knee in a downhill crash in Italy, the American star edged out Swiss runner-up Michelle Gisin by 0.02 seconds and Croatian prodigy Zrinka Ljutic by 0.11.
“It's pretty special. I've been lucky to be able to race again this season and I'm really soaking it in. I am enjoying being back and my knee is holding up, it's doing good work for me,” Shiffrin said.
“I felt like this was a really good run. I was pushing the whole way, and I when I feel the knee, it doesn't distract me from skiing or from pushing my skis, so then that's perfect.”
