Shiffrin Taken to Swedish Hospital Following Crash

Olympic slalom champion Mikaela Shiffrin crashed while warming up for a World Cup giant slalom race in Are, Sweden, Saturday and was taken to a local hospital for tests on her right knee.

“She basically flipped over into the net”, Albrecht told the AP in describing how the injury occurred.

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

She was taken for medical examination, with attention on her right knee.

The 20-year-old, who won the season’s first two World Cup slalom races in Aspen in her home state of Colorado two weeks ago, will fly home on Sunday after crashing before a World Cup event in Are.

The 20-year-old Vlhova won the slalom at the 2014 world junior championships but has never finished better than seventh on the World Cup circuit. Once before has Vonn won four straight World Cup races, in December 2011. Vonn won Saturday’s giant slalom for her fourth consecutive victory.

The course was shortened and the winds were strong in the opening run, but Vonn held on to her lead in the second run and her two-run combined time was 2 minutes, 4.70 seconds.

Eva-Maria Brem of Austria stood third, 0.35 back.

Vonn swept three speed races in Lake Louise, Alberta, last weekend. “I have a lot of confidence, especially after Lake Louise”, she said.

With little sun at the resort located near the Arctic Circle, artificial lights were turned on to enable skiers to see the course. “On the second run, I knew that Marcel had skied really fast and that I had to push it”.

Vonn trailed Hansdotter at the final interval but made up time over the last few gates.

“I was watching some video from that win last night”, Vonn said between runs.

Slovakian Vlhova failed to read the script, though, and was able to savour what was her finest hour by ensuring Hansdotter had to settle for a second-placed finish, which moved her above Shiffrin in the slalom standings.

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

There was also a setback for American Ted Ligety in the men’s giant slalom in Val d’Isere.