Shiffrin will skip World Cup races in France to rest, train
VAL D’ISERE, FRANCE >> Mikaela Shiffrin is starting her Christmas racing break early by skipping a World Cup meeting in France this weekend.
After sitting out a training run Thursday ahead of a downhill scheduled Saturday, the three-time defending overall World Cup champion said she will now focus on preparing for Dec. 28-29 races in Austria.
“I was pretty excited, really — and it would have been the first time that I made that schedule work ... but I have to get some work done now, so Merry Christmas and see you in Lienz!” Shiffrin wrote on her Twitter account.
Shiffrin’s current lead of 165 points in the standings can be overtaken by in-form Federica Brignone before her planned return for giant slalom and slalom races at Lienz.
Herbert, Rankin lead Australian PGA
Lucas Herbert and Brett Rankin shared the firstround lead at the Australian PGA Championship after carding 5-under 67s on Thursday at Royal Pines.
The Australian pair were one clear of a group of five players including New Zealander Ryan Chisnall, while Adam Scott and Stewart Cink were three back after opening 70s. Two-time defending champion Cameron Smith was 2 over.
Herbert went birdiebirdie-eagle in still morning conditions to begin his round before a run of three bogeys. He added four birdies on the back nine to finish before the breeze picked up.
Russia plans to appeal
MOSCOW >> Russia has signaled it will file an appeal against its four-year Olympic ban due to World AntiDoping Agency sanctions which President Vladimir Putin branded “unfair.”
The Russian anti-doping agency’s supervisory board voted to file an arbitration case with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland. WADA last week ruled Russia had manipulated doping laboratory data to cover up past offenses.
Putin said it was not fair to threaten Russia with more doping-related punishment, and that any sanctions should be on an individual basis. “I think it is not just unfair but not corresponding to common sense and law,” Putin said.
Coyne hires Palou for full IndyCar season
Dale Coyne hired Spanish driver Alex Palou to drive the 2020 IndyCar season, the latest twist in a wild offseason of seat changes that has left a handful of decorated veteran drivers still looking for rides.
Coyne did not announce a car number for Palou, who will race for a partnership to be called Dale Coyne Racing with Team Goh. The team said it will have “further details on its complete 2020 program at the beginning of the new year.”
The team in November fired Sebastien Bourdais and has yet to announce any sort of extension with rising young American driver Santino Ferrucci. Earlier this week, Bourdais’ championship-winning engineer Craig Hampson moved to Arrow McLaren.