Olympic ski champion Shiffrin heading home for kne

While Shiffrin’s status was uncertain, Vonn is not planning to enter Sunday’s slalom race.

Vonn’s fourth career victory in giant slalom, and second in the discipline in Are, takes her onto 400 points in the overall World Cup standings – 104 clear of nearest rival and compatriot Mikaela Shiffrin, who was unable to compete after being taken to hospital following a crash in training earlier in the day.

“She basically flipped over into the net”, Albrecht told the AP in describing how the injury occurred. Albrecht stated the MRI will “probably take a while”.

She is second behind US teammate Lindsey Vonn in the overall World Cup standings.

Sweden’s Sara Hector is carried away on a stretcher to get medical treatment after crashing during the first run of a women’s World Cup giant slalom in Are, Sweden, Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015.

The remaining races for this year consist of one downhill, one super-combined, three giants and two slaloms.

Speaking after her brilliant first run, Vonn said: “I love Are, I’ve had some good races here”.

“I watched playback of that win yesterday evening and I had plenty of confidence coming out of Lake Louise”, she said.

Her combine time of 2 minutes, 4.70 seconds was 0.007 faster than Eva-Maria Brem of Austria. Visibility was also a factor, with the artificial lights turned on to aid skiers.

USA ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin awaits an MRI on her left knee on Saturday in Åre, Sweden.

“I hope both of them are OK”, Vonn said. “We need them back at the start tomorrow”.

With Tina Maze taking this season off and defending overall victor Anna Fenninger out injured for the year, Shiffrin and Vonn are the top two overall contenders.

She won her first World Cup race there three years ago by taking a night slalom, and won two other slaloms at the Swedish resort near the Arctic Circle.