Mikaela Shiffrin secures the slalom season title, marking her ninth season title in a single discipline in the World Cup’s six-decade history. As the Winter Olympics approach, Shiffrin’s achievement sets a remarkable milestone, with no other skier having achieved this feat before.
Although Shiffrin’s dominance in slalom is evident, her teammate Lindsey Vonn is not far behind, boasting eight downhill titles and a substantial lead in the current standings in her second season post-retirement in 2019. Notable male skiers like Ingemar Stenmark and Marcel Hirscher have also excelled in their respective disciplines, claiming eight slalom globe and overall titles each.
Shiffrin showcased her prowess in the recent slalom event before the Milan Cortina Games, clinching the top spot in the discipline standings with two races to spare. She outperformed her competitors, including the world champion Camille Rast from Switzerland, securing victory by a significant margin of 1.67 seconds in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic.
Following her remarkable slalom win, Shiffrin reflected on her performance, which came the day after her first giant slalom podium in two years. Despite these victories, Shiffrin remains cautious about drawing conclusions regarding her form for the upcoming Olympics, where she plans to participate in slalom, giant slalom, and the team combined events.
Shiffrin expressed her joy at returning to the Czech venue where she made her World Cup debut at the age of 15 in 2011, emphasizing her love for skiing and the nostalgic feeling of being back at the familiar location. While setting records and clinching titles are significant accomplishments for Shiffrin, she maintained focus during the race and viewed her success as a pleasant surprise amid the intense competition.
With an insurmountable lead in the season standings, Shiffrin’s exceptional performance with seven wins out of eight slaloms positions her ahead of her competitors. The women’s World Cup continues with upcoming races in Crans-Montana featuring downhill and super-G events, serving as the final competitions before the Winter Olympics.