German skier Emma Aicher wins her 1st World Cup slalom race

German skier Emma Aicher won her first World Cup slalom on Saturday to take full advantage of Mikaela Shiffrin's absence.

One day after her birthday, the 23-year-old Aicher was fastest on the first run in Levi, Finland, and successfully protected her advantage on the second run in the first women's slalom of the season.

“It’s definitely a good birthday present," Aicher said. “I managed two solid runs with no big mistakes.”

Lara Colturi of Albania was second, with Austria’s Katharina Truppe completing the podium.

Canadian skier Valérie Grenier injured in training ahead of World Cup season opener

Canada's Laurence St-Germain, of Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, Que., opened her slalom season with a 22nd-place finish.

Canada's St-Germain kicks off World Cup slalom season with a 22nd place finish

Last year, Aicher finished overall runner-up to Shiffrin when the American secured a record-tying sixth overall World Cup title.

The women’s slalom season will be marked by the reduced presence of Shiffrin in a discipline that she has dominated. The Olympic slalom champion is reducing the number of starts in her strongest discipline and putting more focus on giant slalom and super-G. She is calling this campaign an “exploration season.”

Shiffrin has nine slalom wins at Levi, including last year's race.

Aicher finished third in the women’s giant slalom at Solden, Austria, last month.