Mikaela Shiffrin missed large parts of last season due to a nasty crash.
Her fourth place in giant slalom in the season premiere in Sölden at the end of October gave an indication that the American will be someone to be reckoned with this Olympic season.
She definitely showed that in the slalom competition in Levi. Shiffrin was a full 1.66 seconds ahead of Lara Colturi, Albania. German Emma Aicher – who was born in Sweden – came in third (+2.59).
This season it has been very important to start well mentally, so I can practice that every run. Last season I didn't compete much because of the injuries, says Shiffrin in the victory interview on Viaplay's broadcast.
It was Shiffrin's 102nd World Cup victory, nine of which came in the slalom season opener in Finland.
Third-year student Emma Aicher has a Swedish mother and a German father. She chose to compete for the German national team a few years ago.
"It feels great. I definitely didn't expect to be on the podium today," Aicher told Viaplay.
Sara Hector had the 20th best time in the first run, but improved in the second and finished eleventh (+3.37). A position she shared with Anna Swenn Larsson, who was the best Swede after the first run in tenth.
"It wasn't what I had hoped for today, but that's how slalom is. It was stiff and passive, and not the attack that I feel I possess," Swenn Larsson tells Viaplay.
Cornelia Öhlund and Hanna Aronsson Elfman finished in 18th and 19th place respectively. Estelle Alphand crashed out in the second run.
