Sawt Falasteen - Better than Stenmark? 'Come on...' says Shiffrin

The 27-year-old Shiffrin has two further chances this weekend to equal and even set a new record should she win both Saturday's downhill and Sunday's super-G in Kvitfjell.

On Friday, though, she could not outski Austria's Cornelia Huetter, who recorded her fourth career victory as the American finished fourth.

Elena Curtoni of Italy was second and Lara Gut-Behrami of Switzerland was third.

Swedish legend Stenmark said earlier this week that Shiffrin was on another level to him.

Stenmark dominated the men's slalom and giant slalom disciplines for a decade from 1975 before retiring in 1989.

"That is not true," said Shiffrin, who only met Stenmark briefly at the 2019 world championships in Are, Sweden.

"It is cool he said that, but come on..."

Shiffrin was phlegmatic about failing to finish on top of the podium.

"I do not expect to always win or be on the podium," she said.

"It is satisfying enough for me that if I ski my best, I will always have a chance.

"Of course, I say to myself 'how could I have done a bit better?' but I think it is better to learn lessons for the next event than to be disappointed today."

Shiffrin is coming off what she termed a "spectacular" world championships in France where she won gold in both the giant slalom and super-G and silver in the slalom.

Shiffrin's tally took her to a total of 14 world championship medals, just one behind all-time leader Christl Cranz of Germany, who competed between 1934-39, when world championships were held every year and ski racing was yet to evolve into its modern form of competition.

Q.Najjar--SF-PST