Shiffrin leads in giant slalom, set to get 4th WCup trophy

SOLDEU, Andorra (AP) — Mikaela Shiffrin is set to lift a record-tying fourth World Cup crystal trophy this season after leading the first run of a giant slalom Sunday.

The overall, slalom and super-G standings winner needs just a top-15 finish to clinch the season-long giant slalom title, and was 0.59 seconds faster than former Olympic champion Viktoria Rebensburg.

New Zealand prospect Alice Robinson was third, 0.84 back. The 17-year-old Robinson earned her World Cup finals entry by winning the junior world title last month.

Shiffrin can be overtaken in the standings only if she fails to score points in the season-ending race and her closest challenger Petra Vlhova wins.

Vlhova was fourth-fastest with 0.97 to make up on Shiffrin in the afternoon second run that ends the women’s season.

A fourth standings title for Shiffrin would match the women’s World Cup record jointly held by Lindsey Vonn (2010, 2012) and Tina Maze (2013).