ARE, Sweden, March 14 (Reuters) - Austria's Julia Scheib claimed her first World Cup title on Saturday, winning the giant slalom crystal globe after Switzerland's Camille Rast failed to complete her second run in Are, Sweden.
Scheib, who now has an unassailable lead of 189 points over Rast in the standings, was trailing the Swiss skier after the first run, but surged into the lead on the second and won by 0.36 seconds.
American Paula Moltzan was second, while New Zealand's Alice Robinson completed
the podium.
Scheib is the first Austrian woman to win a World Cup giant slalom title since Eva-Maria Brem in 2016.
"It feels very special. Winning the giant slalom globe has been a goal of mine for many years. And to achieve it today means a lot to me," the 27-year-old said.
Scheib, who finished fifth in the giant slalom at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics last month, bagged her first-ever World Cup victory on home turf in Soelden earlier this season.
Asked if she had expected to go on and win the globe after that win in October, she said: "To be honest, no.
"Because to be so consistent is not so easy, we had different conditions. I don't know what to say. This is amazing.
"We'll have for sure a party. But it's much easier for me now to go to the finals and to do one more good giant slalom race. Also hopefully a good super-G. I'm really looking forward to this."
Mikaela Shiffrin, who was chasing a record-extending 109th career World Cup win and her first giant slalom victory since December 2023, finished fifth behind fourth-placed Emma Aicher.
American Shiffrin leads the overall standings by 120 points ahead of Germany's Aicher, who made up five points on Saturday.
Italian Sofia Goggia also failed to complete her second run.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
