By USSA

ARE, Sweden — Olympic medalists Julia Mancuso (Squaw Valley) finished 20th and Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-VaIL) 24th in the last Audi FIS Alpine World Cup women’s giant slalom prior to the World Cup Finals.

Rain and high winds forced organizers to lower the start for each run, cutting at least 15 seconds off the run times. Austrian Anna Fenninger won for the second straight day to move into the overall World Cup points lead and jump within 14 points of giant slalom leader Jessica Lindell-Vikarby of Sweden. A slalom featuring Shiffrin, the current World Cup leader in the discipline, will be contested Saturday to close competition in Are.

Shiffrin, who has more than 500 World Cup points and is currently sixth in the giant slalom standings, is the only American woman qualified to race giant slalom at Finals.

Austrian Anna Fenninger won for the second straight day to move into the World Cup overall lead and cut Swede Jessica Lindell-Vikarby’s advantage in the giant slalom standings to 14 points.

Germany’s Viktoria Rebensburg finshed second, followed by Vikarby.