KUEHTAI, Austria (AP) – American teenager Mikaela Shiffrin posted the fastest time in the opening run of a women’s World Cup slalom on Monday, the final race of 2014.
The Olympic champion finished the Hohe Mut course in 50.27 seconds to lead Tina Maze of Slovenia by 0.15. Sarka Strachova of the Czech Republic was 0.25 behind in third with the rest of the field at least half a second behind.
Veronika Velez Zuzulova of Slovakia posted the fastest split times but lost balance and fell shortly before the finish.
Shiffrin has won the World Cup slalom title for the past two seasons but has failed to reach the podium in three races this season.
Shiffrin also led a giant slalom after the first run on the same course Saturday before placing third.