Shiffrin leads skiing World Cup opener after 1st run with overall champion Gut-Behrami not starting

SOELDEN, Austria -- American skis prima Mikaela Shiffrin led nan women's World Cup play opener aft nan first tally Saturday, pinch defending wide champion Lara Gut-Behrami deciding soon earlier nan commencement to skip nan race.

Aiming for her record-extending 98th profession win, Shiffrin wasn't flawless successful nan opening conception of nan elephantine slalom but hit her opponents pinch a beardown mediate portion and finish.

Alice Robinson of New Zealand led Shiffrin by 0.42 seconds astatine nan 2nd divided but yet came up 0.22 short. Federica Brignone of Italy trailed by 0.40 successful third, pinch only 2 much racers finishing wrong a 2nd of nan American's time.

“I felt good. My mentation going to this title was rather strong, I americium happy pinch my skiing correct now. The only task is to bring much strength aliases much aggression, effort to find clip somewhere,” said Shiffrin, who was hugged by her fiancé, injured Norwegian skier Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, successful nan decorativeness area.

“I had a infinitesimal wherever I didn’t really spot my guidance wherever I was going," Shiffrin said. "It wasn’t a large mistake, it takes distant your strength a small bit. But then, aft that, I was pushing moreover harder. Maybe it conscionable took maine until nan transportation to move connected nan gas. But moreover past it was really strong.”

Holding nan women's grounds pinch 22 wins successful nan discipline, Shiffrin was racing her first GS since injuring her knee successful a downhill crash successful January. She is leaving nan downhill disconnected her schedule this season.

Gut-Behrami didn't commencement arsenic she did “not consciousness 100%.”

The Swiss star, who suffered from knee problems and missed a week of training precocious because of nan flu, made nan determination aft people inspection soon earlier nan race.

“During nan inspection, doing nan warmup, I understood it was not nan time to race. You tin not spell to nan commencement and consciousness 90% aliases person doubts astir your health,” Gut-Behrami said. “I don’t want to beryllium injured to extremity my career. I conscionable want to beryllium capable to understand erstwhile it’s complete and I don’t deliberation it’s today.”

Gut-Behrami became nan oldest victor of nan women's World Cup wide title astatine 32 past season, overtaking five-time champion Shiffrin connected apical of nan standings successful nan 2nd half of nan season, erstwhile nan American was retired nursing a knee injury. She besides won nan elephantine slalom play title.

Gut-Behrami, nan Olympic super-G champion and 2021 world champion successful GS, antecedently won nan wide title successful 2016 and has 45 title wins connected nan World Cup, including 3 astatine nan accepted season-opening GS successful Soelden.

Shiffrin led a beardown capacity by nan U.S. skis team, pinch Paula Moltzan looming successful seventh, and Katie Hensien successful 17th and Nina O'Brien successful 21st some qualifying for nan 2nd tally successful what is their comeback title aft missing past season pinch injuries.

“A small spot relieved, for sure. I consciousness not wholly satisfied, conscionable because location is immoderate mistakes,” O'Brien said. “But I’m gladsome I kept it rolling and I deliberation each things considered I tin consciousness OK astir getting nan first tally retired of nan way.”

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Eric Willemsen connected X: https://x.com/eWilmedia

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AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing