By Simon Jennings
YANQING, China (Reuters) – Defending Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin crashed out of the women’s giant slalom during her first run at the Beijing Winter Games on Monday, sliding off her skis coming down the course dubbed “The Ice River” at Yanqing Alpine Centre.
The 26-year-old American, who came out seventh, did not appear to be hurt after the slip caused her to miss a gate midway down the course. She got back on her skis and made her way slowly down the rest of the way.
Shiffrin plans to compete in all five women’s events at the Games this year and will race in her favourite discipline, the slalom, on Wednesday.
Shiffrin was the second skier to crash out during the first run after Italy’s Marta Bassino, the fifth racer down, wiped out.
Bassino also appeared unhurt from the fall after her skis slid out from under her at the second gate, sending her into a slow slide down the mountain.
(Reporting by Simon Jennings; additional reporting by Shadia Nasralla; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
