Liechtenstein’s Tina Weirather was untouchable, while American Mikaela Shiffrin scored her third giant slalom top-10 this season in Val d’Isere, France, on Sunday.
Weirather upped her overall World Cup lead with her second win and sixth podium this season, posting a two-run time of 2 minutes, 24.10 seconds. Swiss Lara Gut was second, .73 behind, followed by Swede Maria Pietilae-Holmner.
Shiffrin improved from 12th after the first run to finish eighth.
“I was really tired coming from the U.S. to here, and I had to rethink how I was doing things, making sure I was getting my recoveries,” Shiffrin said, according to Agence France-Presse. “Before this race I actually got some rest, and I felt a lot better today, which just means that I have to ski faster. So it’s good and bad, but I’m very happy with a top-10.”
Shiffrin, 18, is the world’s best slalom skier but worked on improving her giant slalom in the offseason. In four giant slaloms this season, she’s finished sixth, second, DNF and eighth, putting her in the medal threat mix for Sochi.
“I’m really excited with where I’m taking my giant slalom right now,” Shiffrin said. “In training I’m skiing faster than in racing, so I have a lot of potential, but the trick is getting the training skiing into the races.”
Julia Mancuso, the 2006 Olympic giant slalom champion, failed to finish her second run after posting the 19th-fastest first run.
Gut dominated the World Cup circuit to start the season, but it’s been Liechtenstein’s Weirather who has taken control going into the holidays. She has finished second or better in at least one downhill, super-G and giant slalom this season.
Liechtenstein has not won an Olympic medal since 1988.
“Today was a very great day for me,” Weirather said, according to AFP. “It feels awesome for me to get a first win in the giant slalom.”
The women’s Alpine skiing World Cup continues with a giant slalom in Lienz, Austria, on Saturday.
Val d’Isere Giant Slalom
1. Tina Weirather (LIE) 2:24.10
2. Lara Gut (SUI) 2:24.83
3. Maria Pietilae-Holmner (SWE) 2:25.05
4. Federica Brignone (ITA) 2:25.21
5. Maria Hoefl-Riesch (GER) 2:25.26
6. Jessica Lindell-Vikarby (SWE) 2:25.27
7. Anna Fenninger (AUT) 2:25.28
8. Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) 2:25.57
9. Dominique Gisin (SUI) 2:25.74
10. Kajsa Kling (SWE) 2:25.79
26. Megan McJames (USA) 2:27.97
DNF. Julia Mancuso (USA)