Mikaela Shiffrin wins the first race after the Christmas break in Semmering. Thanks to a superb first run the 27-year-old was able to hold the top position by a mere 0.13 seconds to beat Petra Vlhova. Shiffrin, who had already celebrated wins in the Slalom (2) and Super-G (1) this winter, took advantage of her bib number 1 in a heavily salted racecourse with spring-like conditions in the morning to outclassed the competition with a super clean trimming line. The Slovak set the best time in the second run.
Marta Bassino rounded out the podium. She finished 0.31 seconds behind Shiffrin.
Mikaela Shiffrin has claimed 15 World Cup victories in the Giant slalom. She is fourth in the women's list for most World Cup wins in the Giant Slalom behind Vreni Schneider (20), Tessa Worley (16), and Annemarie Moser-Pröll (16).
It's her first victory in the Giant Slalom since December 2021. Shiffrin recorded only one podium finish in her seven World Cup Giant Slalom participations in 2022, a third place in Åre on 11 March.
“The Giant Slalom is a tough discipline for me. The races are not easy to win, the others give it their all. I didn't expect to win today and I had to fight too. I had heard the place announcer from the start gate and I knew how well the others did. That increased the pressure on me”, Shiffrin said.
Shiffrin celebrates 78th World Cup victory. Semmering and the "Magic Mountain" is a good place for the US skier. She won two World Cup Giant Slalom events in Semmering, six years ago on 27 and 28 December 2016.
With today's win the Shiffrin is closing one step further the gap with Lindsey Vonn. She is four wins short to tie with Lindsey Vonn (82) as record holder among women. The only man to have won more World Cup events is Ingemar Stenmark (86).
In the overall World Cup, Shiffrin is now clearly ahead of Sofia Goggia. With today's 100 points she was able to extend her lead to 205 points and now has 675 points after 13 races.
Petra Vlhova, although she is weakened by the flu, attacked fully in the second run to confirm the second position and gets closer to the victory. 16 of her 61 podiums in the World Cup came in the Giant Slalom.
“I'm happy because I was able to confirm my second place from the first run. I also had the best time in the second run and briefly hoped for victory as Mikaela's lead continued to shrink. But she did well in the end", Vlhova said.
Today's third place is also the third podium in Giant Slalom for Bassino this season. The 26-year-old Italian finished second in Killington, and first in Sestriere. it's her 18th Giant Slalom podium in the World Cup.
Marta Bassino leads the discipline standings. After three races, the Italian has 240 points and leads the Giant Slalom ranking ahead of Petra Vlhova (190), Lara Gut-Behrami (172) and Sara Hector (172). Shiffrin is just behind with 160 points.
"I feel great. The first run was so-so, the second run was easier to ride. It was icier. I was able to build up a good feeling”, Bassino said.