Shiffrin Extends World Cup Lead

Mikaela Shiffrin's strategic 23rd-place finish in the Val di Fassa super-G netted her just eight World Cup points, but it crucially extended her overall lead to 125 points over the German skier Emma Aicher. With only six races remaining in the season, this buffer is significant, especially as two of the upcoming events are in Shiffrin's dominant discipline, slalom. The super-G start was a calculated move for Shiffrin, marking only her second appearance in the discipline in over two years. Her last super-G victory came in December 2022, and despite her primary focus on technical events, she has five career wins in the discipline. This rare start was aimed at capitalizing on every opportunity to score points as the season winds down. Elena Curtoni's victory was a historic moment, as at 35 years old, she became the oldest woman to win a World Cup super-G race. This was the Italian's first win since December 2022 and her fourth career World Cup victory, coming after a challenging period of recovering from a significant injury. The race in Val di Fassa was a banner event for the Italian team, with Asja Zenere providing a major surprise by finishing third from a low-ranked start position of 33. Before this, the 29-year-old's best World Cup result had been a ninth-place finish. This podium was part of a weekend sweep for the home nation, as Laura Pirovano had won both downhill races on the preceding days. Looking ahead, the World Cup season will conclude with finals in Lillehammer, Norway, from March 21-25. Before that, there will be a giant slalom and a slalom in Åre, Sweden. While the overall title is not yet secured, Shiffrin has already clinched the slalom crystal globe for the season.