Stiegler falls during slalom event at Sochi Winter Olympics

KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia - Resi Stiegler's string of crash-free runs ended Friday, a frustrating conclusion to the Sochi Olympics for an athlete who returned to the Games after multiple wreck-induced injuries.

Stiegler, of Jackson Hole, Wyo., was 20th after the first of two runs at the Rosa Khotor course, but her second run ended in the second of three sections on the course.

Stiegler had trimmed time from her first run, completing the first section almost 1 second faster than her first run. But she caught the tip one of her skis and tumbled to finish among the bottom portion of Friday's 88 skiers.

Mikaela Shiffrin, of Eagle-Vail, Colo., won the gold medal for the U.S. A pair of Austrians, Marlies Schild and Kathrin Zettel, took the silver and bronze, respectively.

Stiegler felt confident entering her final competition day in Sochi after teammate Andrew Weibrecht won a silver medal in the men's super-G, according to the Star-Tribune of Casper, Wyo.

On Tuesday, Stiegler finished 29th out of 90 skiers in the giant slalom, finishing second among American skiers. She was the last American picked for the event. In contrast to Friday's conditions, she and the other skiers battled rain on an icy course.

Even reaching Sochi was a tremendous accomplishment for the 28-year-old, the Star-Tribune reported. For the first time since her appearance in the 2006 Turin Olympics, Stiegler entered the sport's showcase with a string of healthy months behind her. She spent the summer in Chile and New Zealand, one of the few times Stiegler has benefited from year-round training.

Stiegler's exuberance and strong finishes at Turin had many believing she was the next skiing star for the U.S. She placed 12th in the slalom and 11th in the combined event at Turin. But the injuries in non-Olympic years and a broken leg just prior to the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, changed that.

Stiegler is the daughter of Pepi Stiegler and Carrie (Domin) Stiegler. Pepi is a former Austrian Olympic medalist and Carrie is a native of Ironwood and graduate of Luther L. Wright High School. Resi is also the granddaughter of Norma and the late Ed Domin, of Ironwood.

Results

(Start position and time for each run in parentheses)

1. Mikaela Shiffrin, Eagle-Vail, Colo., (1, 52.62; 6, 51.92) 1:44.54.

2. Marlies Schild, Austria, (6, 53.96; 1, 51.11) 1:45.07.

3. Kathrin Zettel, Austria, (7, 54.00; 2, 51.35) 1:45.35.

4. Maria Hoefl-Riesch, Germany, (2, 53.11; 9, 52.62) 1:45.73.

5. Frida Hansdotter, Sweden, (8, 54.05; 4, 51.85) 1:45.90.

6. Emelie Wikstroem, Sweden, (11, 54.55; 3, 51.56) 1:46.11.

7. Nastasia Noens, France, (5, 53.81; 8, 52.31) 1:46.12.

8. Tina Maze, Slovenia, (3, 53.29; 14, 52.96) 1:46.25.

Other U.S. finishers

24. Julia Ford, Holderness, N.H., (30, 58.88; 24, 53.99) 1:52.87.

DNF. Resi Stiegler, Jackson Hole, Wyo.

DNF. Megan McJames, Park City, Utah.

-From staff and wire reports