Moltzan, Shiffrin Top Five at World Championships Slalom
On Saturday’s, 2/15, World Championships slalom in Saalbach, Austria, Stifel U.S. Ski Team athletes Paula Moltzan and Mikaela Shiffrin finished fourth and fifth to cap off an extraordinary run for the women’s team - where in every race but one, there was a U.S. athlete on the podium.
“To come across the line in the green light was a win for the day,” said Moltzan. “I am very happy with fourth. It’s also my best slalom result of the season, so I feel good about it.”
It was another great day in Austria, with the sun shining down and a slightly cooler temperature outside, which made way for a solid surface for the alpine racers. The first run was set by the Austrians and turned out to be quite tricky for the athletes. Several combinations and tight radius’s made way for a lot of women not making it across the finish line. When it came to the U.S. women to kick out of the gate, Shiffrin and Moltzan knew they had to put down their best skiing.
Shiffrin, off first, skied with her signature aggression and tactically and ended up third on the first run. Moltzan was not far behind, landing in fifth going into the second run. AJ Hurt also made the flip.
“Today was something that I can learn from and to fully recover well for the rest of the season,” said Shiffrin. “ It's been eight weeks since I had surgery and six weeks since I was laying in bed with a drainage tube so perspective is important.”
After a long waiting period due to a large field of athletes, including over 100 women, the top 30 locked back in for run two. The second run set was no easier than the first - with plenty of difficult combinations once again. Regardless, Hurt, Moltzan and Shiffrin dialed themselves back in, knowing that a World Championships slalom podium was on the line.
Hurt was skiing well up until the very last pitch where she made a sizable error - and ended up 19th. Next was Moltzan. Fresh off a bronze medal win in the giant slalom – her first individual World Championships medal – she knew she had to ski with tenacity to make it down the tricky and long slalom course. Boom! In the green one again for Moltzan.
Next all eyes were on Shiffrin. Shiffrin, who is coming off one “of the most important medals I’ve ever won”, the Team Combined gold with teammate Breezy Johnson, skied strongly, however, she fell short towards the end and landed right behind Moltzan in fifth.
Moltzan has had an amazing run at the World Championships in Saalbach. A fourth in the team parallel followed up with a fourth in the team combined, bronze in giant slalom and fourth in slalom.
“I was pretty low energy today so it was really important just to stick to my plan and execute as best I could,” said Moltzan. “I am so lucky to have the best teammates and staff behind me and to walk away with this fourth, my worst result of the week is just great.”
The winner of the race was ultimately Swiss skier Camille Rast who has had an impeccable slalom season this year. In the silver position was fellow Swiss skier Wendy Holdener and in bronze Austrian Katharina Liensberger. AJ Hurt and Katie Hensien also raced in the slalom, Hurt ended up 19th and Hensien did not finish her first run.
This slalom marked the end of the long two-week event that brought many successes to the women’s team, including a bronze in super-G, gold in downhill, gold in the team combined, and bronze in giant slalom. Overall the women’s team is on a roll and ready to close out the last month of races on a high.
The final World Championships event will be the men’s slalom on Sunday.
RESULTS
women's slalom
HOW TO WATCH
Sunday, Feb. 16
3:45 a.m. - men’s slalom, run one - skiandsnowboard.live
7:15 a.m. - men’s slalom, run two - skiandsnowboard.live
4:00 p.m. - women and men’s slalom - NBC (tape delay)
