Shiffrin trails Vlhova in 1st women's slalom run of World Cup wins record attempt

Mikaela Shiffrin had the second-best time behind Olympic champion Petra Vlhova in the first run of a night slalom Tuesday as the American goes for a record 83rd win on the women's World Cup circuit in Flachau, Austria.

Shiffrin, who entered the race tied with fellow American Lindsey Vonn with 82 wins each, clocked 56.07 seconds, 0.17 behind Vlhova going into the second run.

Starting first in the opening run, Shiffrin didn't make any glaring errors on her way down the flood-lit Griessenkar course but Vlhova, who started sixth, knew where to be careful and where to charge more after several other skiers struggled.

Vlhova, a former overall World Cup champion from Slovakia who is Shiffrin's biggest rival, is seeking her first win of the season after seven podium finishes.

Shiffrin will start next to last in the second run, which starts at 2:45 p.m. ET.

Zrinka Ljutic of Croatia was third in 56.48, 0.58 behind Vlhova.

Lena Duerr of Germany was faster than Shiffrin at the final checkpoint before a big mistake over a roll cost her a large chunk of time. Still, Duerr was fourth in 56.86, 0.96 behind Vlhova.

Three Canadians completed the opening run. Laurence St-Germain of Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, Que., led the way in seventh in 57.35, followed by Toronto's Ali Nullmeyer (18th, 58.49) and Amelia Smart of Invermere, B.C., (22nd, 59.04).

Slalom is Shiffrin's best event, the discipline that has accounted for 51 of her 82 wins, four of which came in Flachau.

WATCH | Shiffrin discusses what her record-tying win means to her:

Shiffrin has already won four of the six slaloms this season, including the last two.

No wonder she feels confident about setting the record in the hometown of Hermann Maier, another one of the most successful