Shiffrin wins fifth World Cup title
American skier Mikaela Shiffrin accomplished what she called “the big, big goal for me this season.”
But it wasn't a record-tying 86th career victory.
Shiffrin on Saturday locked up her fifth overall World Cup title, widely regarded as ski racing's biggest prize, by tying for fifth place in a downhill.
“That's really amazing. That (overall title) was like the big, big goal for me this season,” Shiffrin said. “I had such a big focus on it that I was even talking about it in interviews in the beginning of the season. Normally I don't talk about it so much because it takes a long time to figure out if you can do it.”
The American's quest for another race win was extended by at least another day, as she was set to compete in a super-G Sunday.
Shiffrin needs one victory to match Ingemar Stenmark's total on the all-time overall winners list — between men and women. The Swede competed in the 1970s and 80s.
Shiffrin broke a tie on the all-time women's list with former American teammate Lindsey Vonn in January. Vonn had 82 wins when she retired in 2019.
Saturday's race was won by home favorite Kajsa Vickhoff Lie, who became the first Norwegian woman to win a downhill in the 56-year history of World Cup skiing.
Sofia Goggia finished 0.29 seconds behind in second as the Italian secured the season-long downhill title again.
Olympic champion Corinne Suter and two-time former world champion Ilka Stuhec placed third and fourth, respectively.
Shiffrin and Austrian skier Ramona Siebenhofer both finished 0.79 seconds behind Lie.
Golf KITAYAMA HOLDS ONTO BAY HILL LEAD OVER SCHEFFLER, HOVLAND >>
Kurt Kitayama had to leave home to find his way in golf by playing circuits in
Europe, Australia and Asia, all for a chance to get to the highest level. Along with three worldwide titles, he learned how to battle.
That might come in handy Sunday at Bay Hill.
Without a birdie on the front nine and no longer in the lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Kitayama fought back with a 25-foot birdie to start the back nine and two birdies over the final three holes Saturday for an even-par 72.
A 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole gave him a one-shot lead over defending champion Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland of Norway.
Now comes the hard part for Kitayama, a 30-year-old Californian going after his first PGA Tour victory.
Scheffler had five birdies over his last seven holes in warm gusts that made Bay Hill tough as ever. He finished with a 68 and was one shot behind. Hovland holed a bunker shot for one of his six birdies in a bogeyfree round of 66.
Hovland finished runner-up to Scheffler a year ago at Bay Hill.
The rest of the contenders are what was to be expected with a $20 million event and every PGA Tour member from the top 50 in the world.
Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Max Homa all were within range of Kitayama if he were to lose ground or if Bay Hill was baked and brittle as it typically is for the final round.
For now, Kitayama held his own, even if it looked as though he could crater.
Soccer PSG'S HAKIMI GIVEN PRELIMINARY CHARGES ON RAPE ALLEGATION >>
Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi was given preliminary charges of rape, French prosecutors said Friday.
The prosecutors' office in the Paris suburb of Nanterre said Hakimi was questioned on Thursday by investigators probing rape allegations. An investigating judge placed the soccer player under judicial supervision.
In the French legal system, preliminary charges mean judges have strong reason to suspect a crime was committed but are allowing time for further investigation before deciding whether to send a case to trial.
Hakimi's lawyer, Fanny Colin, said the player “strongly denied accusations made against him,” in a written message to The Associated Press.
Colin said her client being indicted is an “obligatory step for any person being accused of rape” and will allow Hakimi to defend himself by giving him access to the case. Colin also said that some elements collected by the judicial police show, according to her, that Hakimi “in this case has been subjected to a racketeering attempt.”
The Morocco national team player has been prohibited from contacting the alleged victim, a 24-year-old woman who says she was raped by Hakimi on Saturday at his home in a Paris suburb. Hakimi is allowed to leave French territory, prosecutors said.
According to Le Parisien newspaper, which revealed the allegations earlier this week, the woman went to the police station on Sunday, where she accused him of rape.
The woman's lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, said in a statement that preliminary charges show “there is reliable and consistent evidence.”