Alpine skiing: Lindsey Vonn, Mikaela Shiffrin & co. gear up for new season

    By Rob Hodgetts

    Updated 1202 GMT (2002 HKT) October 27, 2018

    All eyes will be on Lindsey Vonn in her final season as she strives to become the most successful ski racer ever. The American veteran, nearly 34, needs five more wins to beat Ingemar Stenmark's record of 86 World Cup race victories.
    Photos: Skiing into a new season
    All eyes will be on Lindsey Vonn in her final season as she strives to become the most successful ski racer ever. The American veteran, nearly 34, needs five more wins to beat Ingemar Stenmark's record of 86 World Cup race victories.
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    US starlet Mikaela Shiffrin will be trying to make history of her own as she targets a third straight World Cup overall crown and a fourth consecutive slalom world title at February's World Championships in Are, Sweden.
    Photos: Skiing into a new season
    US starlet Mikaela Shiffrin will be trying to make history of her own as she targets a third straight World Cup overall crown and a fourth consecutive slalom world title at February's World Championships in Are, Sweden.
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    Austria's Marcel Hirscher is arguably the greatest ski racer ever with seven straight World Cup overall titles. The slalom specialist is a mega star in a skiing-obsessed nation.
    Photos: Skiing into a new season
    Austria's Marcel Hirscher is arguably the greatest ski racer ever with seven straight World Cup overall titles. The slalom specialist is a mega star in a skiing-obsessed nation.
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    Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen is the nearly man behind Hirscher, but at 24 he has time on his side to mount a serious challenge for supremacy.
    Photos: Skiing into a new season
    Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen is the nearly man behind Hirscher, but at 24 he has time on his side to mount a serious challenge for supremacy.
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    Norway veteran Aksel Lund Svindal finally clinched Olympic downhill gold in Pyeongchang in February after a long and illustrious career. The 35-year-old is still one of the men to beat in the speed disciplines.
    Photos: Skiing into a new season
    Norway veteran Aksel Lund Svindal finally clinched Olympic downhill gold in Pyeongchang in February after a long and illustrious career. The 35-year-old is still one of the men to beat in the speed disciplines.
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    Czech sensation Ester Ledecka made history as the first athlete to win gold in two separate disciplines at the same Games in Pyeongchang. She scored a stunning super-G victory and added parallel giant slalom gold in her preferred sport of snowboarding. Definitely one to watch on the alpine circuit.
    Photos: Skiing into a new season
    Czech sensation Ester Ledecka made history as the first athlete to win gold in two separate disciplines at the same Games in Pyeongchang. She scored a stunning super-G victory and added parallel giant slalom gold in her preferred sport of snowboarding. Definitely one to watch on the alpine circuit.
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    The World Cup season begins on the high glaciers of Solden, Austria in late October.
    Photos: Skiing into a new season
    The World Cup season begins on the high glaciers of Solden, Austria in late October.
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    Focus switches to the US in November and early December. Lake Louise -- often dubbed "Lake Lindsey" because of Vonn's success there -- could offer the US star her first chance of closing the gap on Stenmark.
    Photos: Skiing into a new season
    Focus switches to the US in November and early December. Lake Louise -- often dubbed "Lake Lindsey" because of Vonn's success there -- could offer the US star her first chance of closing the gap on Stenmark.
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    The actions crosses the pond for France's traditional European season opener in the world-class resort of Val d'Isere, high up in the Tarentaise valley.
    Photos: Skiing into a new season
    The actions crosses the pond for France's traditional European season opener in the world-class resort of Val d'Isere, high up in the Tarentaise valley.
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    Glitzy St. Moritz in Switzerland also features early on the women's European circuit.
    Photos: Skiing into a new season
    Glitzy St. Moritz in Switzerland also features early on the women's European circuit.