In a stunning display of skill and dominance, American ski sensation Mikaela Shiffrin raced to victory in the season-opening women’s World Cup slalom in Levi, Finland. The two-time Olympic champion clocked a combined time of 1 minute, 50.61 seconds over two runs to claim her record-extending 98th career World Cup win.
Shiffrin Shines on Levi Black Course
Racing on the challenging Levi Black course, Shiffrin built a commanding lead of 0.79 seconds over Austria’s Katharina Liensberger in the first run. Despite losing a few tenths in the second run, the American star maintained her aggressive yet controlled skiing to secure the victory by a comfortable margin.
Amazing way to start the slalom season, I’m super happy. I felt strong and solid with good energy.
– Mikaela Shiffrin after her win
Germany’s Lena Duerr rounded out the podium in third place, 0.83 seconds behind Shiffrin. Croatian prodigy Zrinka Ljutic, who was third after the first run, slipped to sixth in the final standings.
Eighth Levi Triumph for Shiffrin
The win marked Shiffrin’s eighth triumph in the traditional season-opening slalom in Finnish Lapland, where the victor is awarded a reindeer as a prize. The American now boasts an incredible 61 slalom victories and 98 World Cup wins across all disciplines – both records unmatched by any other skier in history.
Bouncing Back from Giant Slalom Disappointment
Shiffrin’s dominant performance in Levi came just three weeks after a disappointing fifth-place finish in the season-opening giant slalom in Austria. Despite leading after the first run, the American lost her advantage in the second to miss out on the podium.
After Austria, I felt I needed to push harder and ski more aggressively. I’m happy with how I managed the mentality today.
– Shiffrin on her approach in Levi
Rivals Absent and Chasing
Notably absent from the Levi race was Shiffrin’s main slalom rival, Slovakia’s Petra Vlhova. The reigning Olympic slalom champion is still recovering from a knee surgery she underwent in the off-season. With Vlhova sidelined, the chase is on for the rest of the field to try to close the gap to Shiffrin.
One skier showing promise is Shiffrin’s teammate Paula Moltzan. The American was faster than Shiffrin in the first split of the opening run before losing time lower down the course. Moltzan ultimately finished eighth, 1.51 seconds adrift, but demonstrated her potential to contend with more consistency.
Looking Ahead: Vonn’s Return
As the women’s World Cup circuit moves on to its next stops in the USA, Shiffrin aims to continue her sizzling form. Meanwhile, anticipation is building for the return of record-breaking U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn later this season, more than five years after her retirement. Vonn recently announced she is rejoining the U.S. ski team and plans to participate in speed events.
For now, the spotlight shines brightly on Mikaela Shiffrin. As she racks up more victories en route to the 100-win milestone, the ski racing world watches in awe, wondering just how many more records this generational talent will shatter. With her unrivaled skill, laser focus and competitive drive, it seems only a matter of time before Shiffrin rewrites the history books yet again.
Stay tuned for the latest on Mikaela Shiffrin’s historic quest and the women’s World Cup skiing season here on Alpine Racing Today, your premier source for skiing news and analysis.
