Shiffrin closes in on World Cup record''
Mikaela Shiffrin has FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup records in her sights ahead of the slalom competition in Flachau on Tuesday.
The American has won the last two races and is only one point behind Frida Hansdotter in the discipline standings after five events.
Shiffrin will be confident heading into the event in Austria having won there in the last two seasons, and another victory would give her the advantage as she looks to retain her World Cup slalom title.
And should the 19-year-old finish with the fastest time on Tuesday, she will become the first American to win three World Cup slalom races – and the first female to achieve the feat since Marlies Schild in the 2011-12 campaign.
Victory would also be the 12th slalom win of Shiffrin’s career, which would make her the first teenager to reach that milestone having moved level with Perrine Pelen on 11 after winning in Zagreb.
In 2014, the Shiffrin edged out Hansdotter to the victory by 0.83 seconds and the Swede is likely to be challenging again after an excellent start to the season.
Although she has yet to win a slalom race, Hansdotter has achieved three podium finishes, and that has given her a narrow lead in the standings.
Tuesday’s competition will see the skiers take to the 637-metre piste on two occasions, with both attempts being run under floodlights at the Austrian resort.
Overall leader Tina Maze has performed well in the slalom this season with victory in the opening race in Levi, while finishing second in Are in December.
If results went her way, the Slovenian could jump to the top of the slalom standings too, and first place in Austria would see her collect a 27th career win.
The race in Flachau is the final slalom event before next month’s World Ski Championships in the United States, with just three races remaining when the World Cup returns following the event in Beaver Creek.
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