Reporting from World Cup in Squaw Valley, Giant Slalom

Claire Weiss |
Mikaela Shiffrin won her first run, March 10th, Squaw Valley. Photo credit: Claire Weiss

Squaw Valley, March 10th. Olympic spirit is in the air! Just three minutes before the race start!

 

Mikaela Shiffrin has just won another Gold in Giant Slalom, Squaw Valley!

Just 3 days before her 22nd birthday she won another Gold, passing Federica Brignone (Italy) by 0.07 seconds and Tessa Worley (France) by 0.86 seconds.

 

Top five athletes, Giant Slalom, Squaw Valley, March 2017. Image credit: FIS Alpine

 

Finishing 0.86 seconds faster she beat Tessa Worley who was the first at the previous competition in St Moritz in February.

Top five athletes, Giant Slalom, St Moritz, February 2017. Image credit: FIS Alpine

 

Red Dog race course. Can you ski Red Dog? But can you ski Read Dog as fast as Mikaela?

It’s short in length but has a lot of pure vertical – the Giant Slalom course begins at 7,520 feet at the top of Snow King Peak, descending 1,267 feet before the finish at 6,252 feet at the base area while the Slalom course drops 656 vertical feet from its start on the lower Dog Leg and is definitely one of the most demanding courses on the entire women’s World Cup tour. Friday’s Giant Slalom course will feature between 46 and 58 gates while Saturday’s Slalom course will feature between 40 and 60 gates.
— Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows
Red Dog race course. Photo credit: Claire Weiss

That wasn’t an easy snow today  – after few cold storms with enormous  snowfall, spring finally came to Squaw Valley. Although not a blue bird day, it was warm  ~50 F, snow was becoming slushy pretty quickly, so race crew was forced to use salt to keep the race course in shape. And that is actually resulting in much harder race course compared to normal cold weather.

“Snow was really hard, bumpy, but i’m happy to race here in Squaw!”

–Federica Brignone (Italy)

Federica Brignon, Squaw Valley Press conference. Photo credit: Claire Weiss

“The second run was really tough, was bumpy, may be I didn’t do as much as I could, but we had interesting fight on race, it’s great to have someone to push you!”

–Tessa Worley (France)

 

Tessa Worley, Squaw Valley Press conference. Photo credit: Claire Weiss

 

Today Mikaela Shiffrin is a number one in FIS Alpine leadership board with 1423 points after today’s race. Her most close competitors are Ilka Stuhek (Slovenia) and Sofia Goggia (Italy).

Mikaela Siffrin, World Cup Squaw Valley. Photo credit: Claire Weiss

 

Highlights of Day 1, World Cup in Squaw Valley, March 10th:

Slip team is ready. Photo credit: Claire Weiss

 

Fans are watching the race. Photo credit: Claire Weiss

 

Chris Davenport congratulates winners. Photo credit: Claire Weiss

 

Mikaela Shiffrin. Photo credit: Claire Weiss

This is a special spirit of Squaw Valley /Alpine Meadows – they love dogs! I think i never saw so many dogs as here. Not to mention the race course is called Red Dog 🙂

 

Photo credit: Claire Weiss

 

Photo credit: Claire Weiss

 

Photo credit: Claire Weiss

 

Fireworks at Squaw Valley. Photo credit: Claire Weiss

Tomorrow there will be Ladies Slalom. But come earlier to get a parking space!

 

 

 


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