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Mikaela Shiffrin Nabs 1st World Cup Win

U.S. teen takes slalom

Caty Enders

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American skiing prodigy Mikaela Shiffrin nabbed her first World Cup win on Thursday, edging out favorite Frida Hansdotter on her home turf in Are, Sweden. The 17-year-old blitzed the night slalom with a combined time of 1 minute, 45.36 seconds, 0.29 seconds faster than Hansdotter, who took second. Lindsey Vonn is currently on a break from the World Cup to recover from recent illness and did not race.

For more on Shiffrin, read Gordy Megroz’s profile of the up-and-coming athlete “Groomed for Success” and check out her photo gallery:

“For her age, she’s the best I’ve seen,” says Burke Mountain headmaster Kirk Dwyer, who has mentored hundreds of ­racers, including Daron Rahlves, Jeremy Nobis, and A. J. Kitt. “We’ve had kids who are better natural athletes, but a lot of them stop working. Even if Mikaela is winning, and you tell her she could work a little harder, she will. She doesn’t want to know how great she is. She wants to know how she can improve.”

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