Hector wins as Shiffrin third in Czech giant slalom before Olympics / Photo: Michal Cizek - AFP
NYSE - LSE
Hector wins as Shiffrin third in Czech giant slalom before Olympics
Olympic champion Sara Hector warmed up for her women's giant slalom title defence at next month's Winter Olympics by winning the World Cup race on Saturday as US star Mikaela Shiffrin finished third.
Sweden's Hector led the first run in the Czech Republic and was third fastest in the second to edge American Paula Moltzan by 0.18sec with Shiffrin third at 0.23 off the pace.
Overall World Cup leader Shiffrin had been fourth fastest in the first run and clocked the second best time behind Moltzan, who lead the way in the second run, ahead of Hector.
It was 29-year-old Shiffrin's first giant slalom podium since her serious accident in a World Cup race in Killington, Vermont in November 2024.
Austria's Julia Scheib leads the World Cup discipline standings despite failing to finish the second run. She holds an 89-point advantage over Swiss Camille Rast, who was fourth at Spindleruv Mlyn.
Some of the top-ranked skiers skipped the event in the Czech Republic, including Italy's Sofia Goggia and Federica Brignone, two weeks before the Milan-Cortina Olympics get underway.
D.Lombardi--IM
