WSC Åre 2019 Ladies' slalom preview
Feb 15, 2019·Alpine Skiing
PREVIEW LADIES' SLALOM – Saturday 16 Feb 2019
Shiffrin aiming for rare fourth title in an event
Mikaela Shiffrin has won the ladies' slalom world title three times, all at the last three world championships.
The only alpine skier, male or female, to have won a specific event four times at the world championships is Christel Cranz: four in the slalom and five in a combination event. NOTE: Ted Ligety could achieve this in the men's giant slalom on Friday 15 February.
Shiffrin can become the first alpine skier, male or female, to win a specific event at four successive world championships.
Shiffrin and Frida Hansdotter have collected three world championships medals in the ladies' slalom, both at the last three editions. Only Cranz (5), Marielle Goitschel (4) and Šárka Strachová (4) have claimed more.
Shiffrin has won four career gold medals at the world championships, equal to Bode Miller in second-place among US alpine skiers. Only Ted Ligety (5) has won more.
Shiffrin has collected six world championships medals, third-most among US alpine skiers behind Lindsey Vonn (8) and Ligety (7).
Shiffrin has already won two medals at these world championships: gold in the super-G and bronze in the giant slalom.
Shiffrin can join Vonn (2 in 2009) and Andrea Mead-Lawrence (2 in 1952) as the only US women to win multiple world titles at one edition.
Shiffrin can become the second woman to claim a world championships medal in the super-G, giant slalom and slalom in one year, after Mateja Svet in 1987 (giant slalom silver, super-G bronze, slalom bronze).
Vlhová in position for tech double
Petra Vlhová became the first alpine skier representing Slovakia, male or female, to win a gold medal at the world championships when she won the giant slalom world title on Thursday.
Slovakia had already claimed two world championships medals, silver in the mixed team event in 2017 (including Vlhová) and silver by Vlhová in the Alpine combined in 2019.
Vlhová can become the first woman to win the giant slalom and slalom world title at the same world championships since Deborah Compagnoni in 1997.
Five other women have completed the technical discipline double at one world championships: Erika Hess (1982), Hanni Wenzel (1980), Marianne Jahn (1962), Andrea Mead-Lawrence (1952) and Dagmar Rom (1950).
Vlhová can become the second alpine skier to win a world championships medal in the Alpine combined, giant slalom and slalom in one year, after Marcel Hirscher in 2017.
Olympic champion Hansdotter seeks home snow success
Frida Hansdotter can become the fourth woman to win the slalom world title as the reigning Olympic champion in this event, after Mikaela Shiffrin (2015, 2017), Janica Kostelic (2003, 2005) and Vreni Schneider (1991).
The only Swedish women to have won the slalom at the world championships are Pernilla Wiberg (1996) and Anja Pärson (2001).
Hansdotter and Shiffrin have collected three world championships medals in the ladies' slalom, both at the last three editions. Only Christel Cranz (5), Marielle Goitschel (4) and Šárka Strachová (4) have claimed more.
Hansdotter could become the second Swedish skier to collect four world championships medals in one event, after Ingemar Stenmark (4) in the men's giant slalom and Maria Pietilä Holmner in the team event.
Hansdotter could claim her sixth world championships medal, which would see her equal the medals of Wiberg and Pietilä Holmner. Only Pärson (13) and Stenmark (7) have collected more for Sweden.
Holdener eyeing third medal in Åre
Wendy Holdener has won two medals at these world championships, gold in the Alpine combined and gold in the team event. She could become the seventh Swiss woman to collect three world championships medals at one edition. The last to do so for Switzerland was Vreni Schneider (G1-S2-B0) in 1989.
Holdener has won three world titles in total, one shy of equalling Pirmin Zurbriggen and Rudolf Rominger in second place among Swiss alpine skiers. Only Erika Hess (6) has won more.
The only Swiss alpine skier to have won three gold medals at one world championships was Hess in 1982 (slalom, giant slalom, combination).
Holdener finished second in the ladies' slalom at the last world championships, in 2017. The only Swiss women to have won multiple medals in this event are Hess (3) and Schneider (2).
Austria still without medal in ladies' event
Austria has yet to claim its first medal in a ladies' event at these world championships. The last time Austria failed to collect a world championships medal in a ladies' event was in 1982 in Schladming, Austria.
Katharina Liensberger, Katharina Truppe and Franziska Gritsch were part of Austria's silver medal winning team in the mixed team event on Tuesday.
The last Austrian woman to finish on the slalom podium at the world championships was silver medallist Michaela Kirchgasser in 2013.
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