USA's Mikaela Shiffrin competes during the first run of the women's slalom race during the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup in Hochgurgl, Austria on November 23, 2024. (Photo by Johann GRODER / various sources / AFP)
Paris: Mikaela Shiffrin, chasing a record-extending 99th World Cup win, edged into the lead in the first run of the slalom in Gurgl, Austria, on Saturday.
Shiffrin went first on the opening run and gave a little shrug as she crossed the line in 51.08 seconds, but the time held up as the American spent the morning in the leader's chair watching her rivals cross the line.
Swiss veteran Wendy Holdener was closest, 0.13sec slower, with Austrian Katharina Liensberger third at 0.52sec.
At 29, Shiffrin, already has 12 more World Cup wins than the most successful man, Ingmar Stenmark, and 16 more than the second woman, compatriot Lindsey Vonn.
A 62nd slalom victory on Saturday would set her up to complete her century across all World Cup disciplines next week in her homeland in Killington, Vermont.
