FLACHAU, Austria (AP) — American teenager Mikaela Shiffrin used an impeccable first run to lead the field by an impressive 0.90 seconds at a World Cup night slalom on Tuesday.
Shiffrin, who won here last year, timed 51.72 seconds on the Griessenkar course. Only Maria Hoefl-Riesch of Germany finished within a second of the American, while Marlies Schild of Austria and Frida Hansdotter of Sweden shared third, already 1.09 off the lead.
Defending overall champion Tina Maze of Slovenia was 1.44 back in sixth.
Shiffrin, who won the world championship and the World Cup title in slalom last year, leads the discipline standings and is looking for her third victory of the season and seventh overall.
The event in Flachau is the penultimate slalom on the women’s calendar before the Sochi Olympics next month.
