American Mikaela Shiffrin defends slalom title at worlds

American teenager Mikaela Shiffrin defended her slalom title at the world ski championships Saturday in Beaver Creek, Colorado, with a strong burst near the end of a choppy course. Shiffrin finished in a combined time of 1 minute, 38.48 seconds, edging Frida Hansdotter of Sweden by 0.34 seconds. The 19-year-old Shiffrin, who’s from nearby Eagle-Vail, didn’t disappoint as a hometown favorite. “It’s pretty crazy now that I think about it,” said Shiffrin, who earned the second gold medal of these championships for the Americans. “Just before my second run, I was starting to convince myself how much I really wanted to win this race. Some of that was good but then I was like, ‘Stop it. Stop that. It’s about the process, it’s about the turns.’ I’m happy.” – AP