Shiffrin claims record-tying sixth title; last globe for McGrath
US' Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates with the globe trophy after winning the Women's Overall World Cup skiing title in Kvitfjell. Cornelius Poppe/NTB/dpa American ski queen Mikaela Shiffrin clinched a women's record-equalling sixth overall World Cup title on Wednesday as she withstood a final challenge from German rival Emma Aicher in Norway. On the men's side, Norway's Atle Lie McGrath earned the last globe on offer in the slalom, with team-mate Timon Haugan winning the race in Hafjell.
But the fight for the women's overall globe got the most attention. Aicher had mounted the pressure on Shiffrin by placing third in the first run of the concluding giant slalom she needed to win and Shiffrin to finish 16th or worse to land the trophy. But Shiffrin was safe once she rose from 17th in the first run into the top 15 to win the title without being dependent on the result of Aicher who competed after her.
Shiffrin, 31, looked on in disbelief and then shed a few tears of joy when the title was hers and she tied the record of six overall titles set first by Austrian great Annemarie Moser-Pröll in the 1970s. The 22-year-old Aicher then made a big mistake on one of the rollers to place 12th, two hundredths behind number 11 Shiffrin. Victory on the day went to Canada's Valerie Grenier for a third career success, .
43 ahead of Norway's Mina Fürst Holtmann. Austrian Julia Scheib, who had already secured the discipline title prior to the last race, was third. Aicher had cut Shiffrin's deficit by 95 points to 45 in the first two races at the finals in Norway but Shiffrin rebounded in the slalom and clinched matters for a final 87-point margin.
Swiss Camille Rast, the only skier to beat Shiffrin in a slalom this term, was third overall. "It is quite emotional, this sums up a whole season of working and fighting," Shiffrin said. Looking at Aicher, she said: "Her skiing is so great.