El Dorado News-Times

Shiffrin locks up World Cup title

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KVITFJELL, Norway (AP) — 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.

“We are so used to the (Norwegian) men winning downhills, so I didn't even know that before this season,” Lie said. “For me, I wanted to win a downhill, that's been my dream. And it's always been a dream of me to have a home race, to have everybody here. I wanted to give them a show.”

Sofia Goggia finished 0.29 seconds behind in second as the Italian secured the season-long downhill title again.

“I feel great, I mean, it's my fourth downhill globe, the third in a row, I'm really happy about that,” Goggia said. “But I'm not so happy about the performanc­e of today. I didn't ski that well, wasn't smooth as in the training runs.”

Olympic champion Corinne Suter and twotime former world champion Ilka Stuhec placed third and fourth, respective­ly.

Shiffrin and Austrian skier Ramona Siebenhofe­r both finished 0.79 seconds behind Lie.

The result, however, was enough for Shiffrin to extend her lead in the overall standings to an insurmount­able 796 points with seven races left. Her only competitor for the big crystal globe, two-time former overall champion Lara GutBehrami, finished 21st.

“It's pretty wild, actually. The overall, or any season title, is always strange to explain how it feels on the day you win it when you don't win the race,” Shiffrin said.

“I think people find it exciting when there is a battle to the final race," she added. "But there's so many things left going on this season, and it's been so incredible, so for me it's quite special to have it now already. I can take a little bit of weight of my shoulders.”

Shiffrin previously won the overall title three years in a row from 201719, and again last year.

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