CLINGTON, Nov. 27 (BNA): American World Cup champion Mikaela Shiffrin was fastest in the first round of slalom Sunday as she stayed on course for a third straight win in the discipline and sixth on home turf.
To cheers from the enthusiastic crowd, Shiffrin clocked a time of 52.29 seconds on the track in Killington, Vermont, to hold a 0.21 lead over Switzerland’s Wendy Holdner, who is seeking to end a long wait for a maiden slalom win.
Austria’s Katarina Linsberger finished third, one hundredth of a second behind, while Olympic champion and World Cup slalom winner Petra Velhova was 0.31 slower than Schiffrin.
While Shiffrin hails from Vail, Colorado, Killington can count her hometown racing as she honed her skills nearby at Burke Mountain Academy as a teenager.
Shiffrin, who has won all five slaloms held there, won the season-opening slalom races twice last weekend, according to the Associated Press.
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