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KRANJSKA GORA, Slovenia – Mikaela Shiffrin’s pursuit of Lindsey Vonn’s Women’s World Cup record will continue for at least one more day.
Shiffrin finished sixth in the giant slalom on Saturday, ending her winning streak in five races. She was stuck at 81 career wins – one win separated Vonn from 82.
Valerie Grenier of Canada won the race by a comfortable margin, taking her first career victory with the fastest time in both runs. Marta Bassino took second place with a loss of 0.37, and the podium was completed by Petra Vlhova with a loss of 0.40.
Shiffrin, who finished 1.33 back, could face Vonn in another giant slalom scheduled for the same route on Sunday.
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“I don’t mind talking about it and I’m not tired of it,” Shiffrin said. “I just say, ‘That’s the way it is.’ Everyone will be saying, ‘You have a chance to win 82 races and equal the record’, every race until I do it – if I do it.
“So it doesn’t make a difference. I still want to go out every day and do my best on skis. And today was the best thing I could have done. But maybe I can improve something for tomorrow.”
Shiffrin finished fifth after the first run, but only had the 18th fastest second run.
“What stuck in my mind was just one bend. I went quite wide on that second run, but I don’t think that corner was what cost me so much,” said Shiffrin. “So I have to look at the last throw and think what I can do to be more aggressive. But the most important thing is also to regain some energy.”
With seven wins this season, Shiffrin is fast approaching Ingemar Stenmark’s overall record of 86 wins in the men’s and women’s events.
Vonn retired four years ago when injuries interrupted her pursuit of Stenmark’s record.
Grenier’s best results in her 89 previous World Cup races are fourth in this race last year and fourth in the super-G in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy in 2019.
Grenier won three medals – gold, silver and bronze – at the junior worlds in 2015-2016. But in 2019, she broke her tibia and fibula in her lower right leg.
“I had four breaks and it took a really long time to heal. So since the injury I have focused more on giant slalom,” she said. “I feel like things are finally falling into place and I’m finally skiing at my best.”
A Canadian has not won a giant slalom World Cup since Kathy Kreiner in 1974, while Kreiner also won an event at the 1976 Innsbruck Olympics.
Canadian teammates surrounded Grenier at the finish to celebrate.
While there were few if any Canadian or American fans on the Podkoren 3 field near the Italian border, there were many spectators waving Slovenian and Slovak flags.
The top was foggy on the first stint, but visibility improved in the second stint and the snow conditions were decent.
American Nina O’Brien fell midway through the first run, but didn’t look seriously injured.
