Shiffrin Skis To First GS Medal
ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (Feb. 16, 2017) – With the fastest second run of the day, Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) grabbed her first career World Championships giant slalom medal Thursday, finishing second on a sun-soaked course at the 2017 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships.
Tessa Worley of France took the victory, her second World Championship giant slalom title, as Italy’s Sofia Goggia finished third, her first World Championship medal as well. Megan McJames (Park City, UT) was the only other American to qualify for the second run, finishing 21st.
Mikaela Shiffrin grabbed her first giant slalom medal at the 2017 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in St Moritz. (Getty Images/AFP-Fabrice Coffrini)
Shiffrin finished third in the first GS run, then stepped it up for the second run, especially on the bottom of the course with her strong finishing style.
“First run I felt like I left something out on the hill, but second run I really felt like I attacked,” said Shiffrin, who was eighth in GS in 2015 at Beaver Creek, and sixth in Schladming, Austria in 2013. “It was really fun to ski.”
Megan McJames was 21st, a career-best World Championships result, in St. Moritz. (Getty Images/AFP-Fabrice Coffrini)
Shiffrin, the two-time defending slalom World Champion, is now focused on Saturday’s slalom, the final event of the 2017 World Championships.
“It’s not so hard to carry momentum when you have good momentum going,” she said. “I’m just going to try to ride this wave, get a little training tomorrow, and then go out and try to attack on Saturday.”
HIGHLIGHTS
- Mikaela Shiffrin won her first World Championships giant slalom medal, taking the silver Thursday.
- Shiffrin’s result was the best U.S. women’s World Championships giant slalom finish since Dianne Roffe won the GS title in 1985 in Bormio, Italy.
- Tessa Worley of France won her second World Championship giant slalom title. She also won in 2013.
- Italy’s Sofia Goggia took the bronze medal, her first career World Championship medal.
- Megan McJames finished 21st, a career-best World Championship result.
- Resi Stiegler (Jackson, WY) did not finish first run.
- Saturday’s slalom is the final event of the 2017 World Championships for the women. First run starts at 3:45 a.m. and the second at 7 a.m. EST. Both runs will be live on NBCsports.com.
QUOTES
Mikaela Shiffrin
First run, I felt like I left something out on the hill, but second run I really feel like I attacked. It was really fun to ski.
I’m really happy. If you asked me in Beaver Creek at World Championships if I would ever medal in a GS, I was so far out and so mad about my skiing, I probably would have said no. Two years later, here I am. I’m really, really excited, especially with the fight second run.
I was trying to push the whole time. I didn’t really find my full rhythm until the middle and coming up to the bottom. Then I remember my coach saying ‘get in your tuck and go!’ and I felt like I did that. Good advice and I’m happy that I executed.
I was so excited. Seeing the green light when you come through the finish, no matter what, is always a good feeling. That moment, I just thought, no matter what I have a medal today and it’s a GS and that’s really exciting. It’s great for our team. It’s great for the U.S. And for sure, it’s great for me. I’m really psyched about it.
[On the course conditions]
It was actually really good for the second run. Sometimes it gets really peely with the sun baking the surface, but there was something underneath, and I was almost surprised with how good it was.
[On Saturday’s slalom]
It’s not so hard to carry momentum when you have good momentum going. I’m just going to try to ride this wave, get a little training tomorrow, and then go out and try to attack on Saturday.
[On St. Moritz]
(St. Moritz is) a beautiful place. Every time I’ve raced here it’s been sunny and amazing. I’m really looking forward to the slalom. I have a good feeling on my skis. I’m definitely prepared and now I just have to let it go.
This is the first time I’ve actually finished a GS race here! In the first run, I was tentative. I was thinking about it, about the spot I fell last year and the spot I fell two years before that. When I made it past there, I was like wow—I’ve never skied the bottom of this hill before! I was excited to make it to the finish and make it down strong. I don’t like feeling that there’s bad karma around any races or any place in particular because sometimes that can make it worse for you. I definitely felt some bad karma around the GS here and I’m much happier changing that today.
Megan McJames
I’m really happy with today. I really executed my goal, which was to go for it and have fun.
BROADCAST + LIVE STREAMING (times EST)
Thursday, Feb. 16
10:30 a.m. – women’s giant slalom, run 2 (encore) – NBCSN
Friday, Feb. 17
1:00 a.m. – women’s giant slalom, run 2 (encore) – NBCSN
3:45 a.m. – men’s giant slalom, run 1 – nbcsports.com/live – LIVE STREAM
7:00 a.m. – men’s giant slalom, run 2 – NBCSN – LIVE
10:30 a.m. – men’s giant slalom, run 2 (encore) – NBCSN
Saturday, Feb. 18
3:45 a.m. – women’s slalom, run 1 – nbcsports.com/live – LIVE STREAM
7:00 a.m. – women’s slalom, run 2 – nbcsports.com/live – LIVE STREAM
1:00 p.m. – women’s slalom, run 2 – NBC
Sunday, Feb. 19
3:45 a.m. – men’s slalom, run 1 – nbcsports.com/live – LIVE STREAM
7:00 a.m. – men’s slalom, run 2 – NBCSN – LIVE
RESULTS
Women’s giant slalom
