Petra Vlhova took the challenge back to Mikaela Shiffrin the race for the Women's Overall as she won the first of two races in Are, Sweden. Marta Bassino took second with Mikaela Shiffrin in third. The top five were rounded out by Tessa Worley with Richard Haaser in fifth. World Cup Giant Slalom leader Sara Hector did not finish as she crashed out on the second run.
Hector had been in third after the first run and was chasing a fifth career World Cup win to add to the Gold she won in Beijing at the Olympics. With Shiffrin having put in a superb second run to take the lead after having been in sixth after the first run, the challenge was set.
With the snow warming, hector crashed out and this let first Bassino take the lead but then Vlhova came down to take the lead and win. After the race she posted on Facebook "I felt really good today on the slope and I knew i can do it!…so it is what it is."
Shiffrin posted "I’m happy with a podium to fight back a few spots in challenging conditions on the second, but I also know that really could have and probably should have been Sara Hector’s spot so let’s cross our fingers that she is not too beaten up."
The lead for Hector now is just five points with one race left in the season long battle over Worley. With Worley racing on home snow at the finals it should be a great race.
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