Canadian skier Laurence St-Germain beats Mikaela Shiffrin for world slalom title | CBC Sports

Canadian skier Laurence St-Germain beat first-run leader Mikaela Shiffrin to win gold in the women’s slalom at the world championships Saturday.

St-Germain was third after the opening run, 0.61 seconds behind Shiffrin, before overtaking the American star with the sixth-fastest second run to finish in a combined one minute 43.15 seconds. Shiffrin was 0.57 seconds behind after capturing gold in the giant slalom Thursday and silver in the super-G last week in France.

Lena Duerr of Germany was 0.69 behind and won bronze.

“I was really not expecting this, obviously. It’s unbelievable,” St-Germain of Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, Que., said from Méribel. “I attacked, had a bit of a mistake, just thinking go down, go down, go down, and it worked out, I guess.”

It was the first gold for Canada in women’s slalom since Anne Heggtveit won at the 1960 Olympics in Squaw Valley, which also counted as the world championships.

WATCH l St-Germain beats Shiffrin by 0.57 seconds for gold:

Canadian Laurence St-Germain edges Shiffrin for slalom gold at worlds

St-Germain beat American Mikaela Shiffrin by 0.57 seconds to top the podium at the alpine world ski championships.

St-Germain’s previous best result at major championships was sixth in the slalom at the 2019 worlds. Sixth is also her best finish in a World Cup slalom, in Levi in 2020.

Shiffrin, the 2014 Olympic champion, won the world slalom title four times between 2013 and 2019 and took the bronze medal two years ago. She became the first skier, male or female, to win six medals in one discipline at world championships.

Toronto’s Ali Nullmeyer climbed six spots to place 12th of 43 finishers in 1:44.48 after sitting 18th following the opening run. Amelia Smart of North Vancouver, B.C., dropped to 24th from 17th, clocking 1:45.19.

The slalom was Shiffrin’s fourth event in 12 days at the worlds.

“Today was incredible, just a joy to race,” said Shiffrin, who split with her head coach Mike Day on Tuesday. “Everybody is tired and it’s the end of a long push. I was so happy with my first run and really happy with a lot of sections on the second run. And here and there I backed it off a little bit and then it’s not enough for gold.”

Saturday’s race was the last women’s event of the world championships.

Shiffrin is expected back at World Cup racing in March.

WATCH | Full coverage of 2nd women’s slalom run from Méribel, France:

FIS Alpine World Ski Championships: Women’s slalom run 2

Canada’s Laurence St-Germain goes head-to-head with American Mikaela Shiffrin at Courchevel Méribel.