DPA/Are, Sweden


Petra Vlhova of Slovakia raced to her maiden World Cup victory in the absence of injured Mikaela Shiffrin when she held her nerve to hold onto a first-run lead in the slalom in Are, Sweden yesterday.
The 20-year-old junior world champion, in her second World Cup season, posted a combined time of 1 minute 44.26 seconds, 0.59 seconds over Swedish local favourite Frida Hansdotter.
“It’s an amazing day for me,” she said. “My first victory and podium.  I don’t know what to say. I am really happy about this. There are a lot of emotions going on inside.”
Norway’s Nina Loeseth was third to keep Austria’s Michaela Kirchgasser off the podium.
Olympic and two-time world slalom champion Shiffrin flew back to the United States after injuring her knee ahead of Saturday’s giant slalom.
Shiffrin, who had won the two previous slaloms of the World Cup season and the final three of the previous season, is due to have further examinations on her right knee.
She had posted a Facebook message saying she has “at least a medial collateral ligament injury and bone bruising, hopefully no additional injury.”
Fellow American Lindsey Vonn, who did not compete in the slalom after winning Saturday’s giant slalom, tops the overall World Cup standings on 400 points.
Hansdotter, who has been on the podium in all three slaloms, moves second on 315, with Shiffrin on 296. She also takes the lead in the slalom standings by 20 points over Shiffrin.
Swedish team-mate Sara Hector will meanwhile be out for the rest of the season after injuring her knee in the first run of Saturday’s giant slalom.
Hector has damaged the cartilage on the back of her left kneecap, which needs to be reconstructed, the Swedish team said.
“This is a serious injury with a long rehab process and Sara will need to undergo surgery in the next few days,” national team doctor Per Liljeholm said.
The women’s World Cup now moves to Val d’Isere, France for a combined Friday and downhill Saturday, followed by a giant slalom Sunday at Courcheval, France.