Ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin has added another crystal ball to her extensive trophy collection. The American, who will only turn 23 next week, prematurely secured her fifth overall victory in this discipline by winning the slalom in Ofterschwang in the Allgäu. It was her sixth win of the season in the slalom and her 31st win of the season. in the World Cup – at the Olympic Games she was fourth in her favourite discipline.
Shiffrin, who had won the overall World Cup for the second time in succession on the previous day, won in front of almost 8000 enthusiastic spectators, just ahead of Wendy Holdener (Switzers/+0.09 seconds) and Olympic champion Frida Hansdotter (Sweden/+0.72). Only in fourth place was the only competitor in Petra Vlhova (Slovakia) who could have challenged Shiffrin for the slalom title.
In difficult conditions at Ofterschwanger Horn, Marina Wallner (Inzell) was the only German to reach the final, she finished 18th. Lena Dürr (Germering) and Maren Wiesler (Münstertal) were eliminated in the first run.
Veronika Velez-Zuzulova (Slovakia) and Michaela Kirchgasser (Austria) had a special appearance. Both of them started for the last time in the World Cup on Saturday and drove for this occasion in national costumes, Kirchgasser in a pink Dirndl.
Velez-Zuzulova had won silver at the 2017 World Cup. Kirchgasser was welcomed in the finish area with a champagne shower under the cheers of the audience. She won team gold three times and four individual medals at the World Championships.