Slalom champion Mikaela Shiffrin achieved a remarkable milestone on Tuesday, setting a women's World Cup record with nine victories in a single discipline this season. Her latest triumph came in a slalom race where she dominated the field, finishing a staggering 1.32 seconds ahead of Swiss skier Wendy Holdener.
Title Race Heats Up Ahead of Finale
This win propelled Shiffrin to an 85-point lead over German rival Emma Aicher in the overall World Cup standings. The battle for the prestigious title will culminate in Wednesday's season-ending giant slalom, where Aicher must secure a victory to prevent Shiffrin from claiming a record-tying sixth overall crown.
Shiffrin's Stellar Performance
Shiffrin's victory on Tuesday marked her 110th career World Cup win, solidifying her status as the most successful skier in history, surpassing Ingmar Stenmark's 86 wins. Reflecting on the competition, Shiffrin expressed mixed emotions, stating, "It's weird to say battle with somebody who I consider a friend. These last races have been super exciting for me to be part of it."
She added, "I'm so excited to watch what she does in the future but for now we have one more race to decide this one."
Challenges for Aicher
The odds are heavily in Shiffrin's favor as Aicher faces an uphill battle. Aicher has never won a World Cup giant slalom, with her career-best finish being fourth place, achieved earlier this month in Are, Sweden. In contrast, Shiffrin, the 2018 Olympic champion in giant slalom, only needs a top-15 result on Wednesday to secure at least 16 points and clinch the overall title.
Holdener's second-place finish on Tuesday, just 0.04 seconds ahead of Aicher, played a crucial role by denying Aicher 20 additional points, further tightening the title race.
Historic Milestones and Records
Shiffrin's nine wins in a single discipline this season set a women's World Cup record, a feat not seen in over six decades. She has already secured her record ninth career slalom season title, underscoring her dominance in the sport.
If Shiffrin wins the overall title on Wednesday, she will match Austrian legend Annemarie Moser-Pröll's women's record of six overall World Cup titles. Moser-Pröll achieved five consecutive titles from 1971 to 1975 and a sixth in 1979, while Shiffrin's previous victories include three straight from 2017 to 2019 and back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023.
Season Reflections and Conditions
Shiffrin described the season as "so exciting, quite like a whirlwind," expressing gratitude for her achievements. The final race is set under favorable conditions, with sunny weather and temperatures around 7°C (44°F), creating softening snow that did little to hinder the performance of the greatest slalom skier in history.
As the skiing world watches intently, all eyes are on Wednesday's giant slalom, where Shiffrin aims to cement her legacy with a historic sixth overall World Cup title.
