Watch Shiffrin Live from Zagreb on NBCSN
ZAGREB, Croatia (Jan. 2, 2017) – The stage is set for the 2017 Audi FIS Ski World Cup “Snow Queen Trophy” race in Zagreb, Croatia. The trophy itself, won by Mikaela Shiffrin each of the last two years the race was held (2013 and 2015), glistens in the hotel lobby under a blue light. It’s up for grabs, and both the men and the women will be fighting for it under the lights in this Zagreb slalom series.
Fans will be able to witness Shifrrin’s attempt to make history LIVE on NBCSN tomorrow, with coverage of the second run starting at 10:00 a.m. EST.
All eyes will be on Shiffrin, who can tie the World Cup women’s record of eight successive slalom victories, held by Switzerland’s Vreni Schneider (1988-89) and Croatia’s own Janica Kostlic (2000-01), who will be in attendance tomorrow. Of course, Shiffrin isn’t big on the records, but this girl is on fire…in fact, she’s won the last 12 World Cup slalom races in which she has started, including 14 of the last 15.
“I’m not so motivated by records,” Shiffrin said prior to today's bib draw. “I’m motivated by being young and being good at the sport, and trying to just do the best that I can with it. Lately I’ve been doing well, but it might not always be this way. So I’m taking advantage of this time now and I’m happy about it, but I’m just trying to ski my best.”
You might think that Shiffrin must have a secret to her success? When asked about the tricks up her sleeve she exclaimed “Barilla and Red Bull—the perfect combination!” Things look good for tomorrow, as Shiffrin loves skiing at Zagreb, and the track is prepped amazingly well.
Her wish for the New Year? It’s simple. “I wish for health and happiness, and to have fun skiing,” said Shiffrin. “I like to ski well, and I feel like I’ve been skiing well lately. I’m getting anxious to put some really good skiing into the races, and my best training skiing, so that’s my biggest goal for these next races.”
Resi Stiegler finished 13th the last time she competed in Zagreb, Croatia in 2015. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom- Alexis Boichard)
Resi Stiegler (Jackson, WY) has been steadily climbing this season, with three top-20 results so far. But she’s hungry for more. Her last World Cup finish was 15th in Sestriere, Italy. In Semmering, Austria, Stiegler’s top splits were in the top five before straddling and DNFing. She felt a new kind of fire from within, and she’ll be channeling that energy for tomorrow’s race. In 2015, Stiegler finished 13th in Zagreb.
On the men’s side, Austria’s Marcel Hirscher is the reigning VIP Snow Queen in 2012, 2013 and 2015, and he’ll be gunning for his 100th podium, but the Attacking Viking Henrik Kristoffersen - who has won the last two slalom races - will be tough to beat.
David Chodounsky finished 18th in 2013 at the Audi FIS Ski World Cup on Zagreb, Croatia. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom- Alexis Boichard)
In 2015, David Chodounsky (Crested Butte, CO) had the third fastest first run time before DNFing his second run. His best finish was 18th in 2013. AJ Ginnis (Vouliagmeni, Greece) had the 13th fastest first run time in Madonna di Campiglio and grabbed his first World Cup points, finishing 26th. He skied extremely fast here in 2015 before skiing out. Keep an eye on him!
NBCSN and Universal HD will cover all of the action this week, with the second run in Thursday's slalom in Zagreb set for live broadcast on NBCSN. Live streaming of all races will be available on NBCsports.com/live.
Road to Aspen Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals
Austria's Marcel Hirscher and Shiffrin each continue to hold strong leads in the overall Audi FIS Ski World Cup. Hirscher comes into Zagreb with a commanding lead, with 713 points to Norway’s Kjetil Jansrud’s 482, followed by France’s Alexis Pinturault with 465 points. Shiffrin, with 798 points, has a strong lead over Switzerland’s Lara Gut with 583 points, followed by Slovenia’s Ilka Stuhec with 495 points. The battle for World Cup crystal globes will conclude in Aspen this March with the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals.
CONFIRMED STARTERS
Women:
Megan McJames (Park City, UT)
Lila Lapanja (Incline Village, NV
Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO)
Resi Stiegler (Jackson, WY)
Men:
Michael Ankeny (Deephaven, MN)
David Chodounsky (Crested Butte, CO)
Mark Engel (Truckee, CA)
AJ Ginnis (Vouliagmeni, Greece)
Robby Kelley (Starksboro, VT)
HIGHLIGHTS
- Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) can tie the World Cup women’s record of eight successive slalom victories, held by Switzerland’s Vreni Schneider (1988-89) and Croatia’s own Janica Kostlic (2000-01).
- Shiffrin won the last 12 World Cup slalom races in which she has started, including 14 of the last 15—the only exception being a third place finish in Flachau in 2015.
- Shiffrin was crowned VIP Snow Queen each of the last two times the race was held in Zagreb—in 2013 and 2015
- Last year the race was canceled due to lack of snow and unusually warm temperatures.
- Resi Stiegler (Jackson, WY) has had three top 20 finishes this season. Her last World Cup finish was a 15th in Sestriere, Italy. In Semmering, Austria, Stiegler’s top splits were in the top 5 before straddling and DNFing. In 2015, she finished 13th in Zagreb.
- In 2015, David Chodounsky (Crested Butte, CO) had the third fastest first run time before DNFing second run. His best finish was 18th in 2013.
- AJ Ginnis (Vouliagmeni, Greece) had the 13th fastest first run time in Madonna di Campiglio and grabbed his first World Cup points, finishing 26th. He skied extremely fast here in 2015 before skiing out.
- NBCSN and Universal HD will cover all of the action this week, with the second run in Thursday's slalom in Zagreb set for LIVE broadcast on NBCSN. Live streaming of all races will be available on NBCsports.com/live.
QUOTES
Mikaela Shiffrin
[On New Year’s Wishes]
I wish for health and happiness, and to have fun skiing. I like to ski well, and I feel like I’ve been skiing well lately. I’m getting anxious to put some really good skiing into the races, and my best training skiing, so that’s my biggest goal for these next races.
[On records, and breaking them]
I’m not so motivated by records. I’m motivated by being young and being good at the sport, and I'm trying to just do the best that I can with it. Lately I’ve been doing well, but it might not always be this way. So I’m taking advantage of this time now and I’m happy about it, but I’m just trying to ski my best.
[On the secret to her success]
I don’t have a secret. I just try to ski well. I guess everyone does. I know the sport, like the back of my hand—it’s what I dream about, it’s what I know, and it makes it easy to go out there and ski well because I understand it.
[On winning the hat track in Semmering]
It was a dream of mine to win a slalom and a giant slalom in the same race series, and to win two GS races and a slalom in the same series was incredible. I never thought that would happen, really, so it was amazing…but also just putting some good skiing out in the GS was a really big step forward for me. When I finished the slalom and I realized I had won three races in a row, I just thought ‘I don’t feel any different, actually. I still feel like the same person and nothing’s changed, so it was a bit of a relief.’ I thought that maybe I would feel some sort of better self-worth, but I didn’t, I’m still me and so we go to the next race.
BROADCAST AND LIVE STREAMING (times EST)
Tuesday, Jan. 3
7:00 a.m. – Zagreb women’s slalom – run 1 – nbcsports.com – LIVE STREAM
10:00 a.m. – Zagreb women’s slalom – run 2 – LIVE on NBCSN and LIVE STREAM
Thursday, Jan. 5
8:45 a.m. – Zagreb men’s slalom – run 1 – nbcsports.com – LIVE STREAM
12:00 p.m. – Zagreb men’s slalom – run 2 – nbcsports.com – LIVE STREAM
7:00 p.m. – Zagreb men’s slalom – Universal HD
Live streaming available on NBCsports.com/Live and the NBC Sports app, which is available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV and Amazon Fire.
