Mikaela Shiffrin Makes History with 100th World Cup Win
SESTRIERE, Italy
Mikaela Shiffrin has cemented her place in skiing history by achieving her 100th career World Cup victory, an accomplishment that reaffirms her status as one of the sport’s all-time greats. This milestone victory took place during a slalom race on Sunday, marking a triumphant return to form for the athlete after she faced a significant setback due to a serious crash in November.
In securing her 100th win, Shiffrin reclaimed and strengthened her lead from the first run, finishing 0.61 seconds ahead of Zrinka Ljutic. Her fellow American teammate, Paula Moltzan, took third place, trailing by 0.64 seconds. At just 29 years old, Shiffrin has also matched an all-time World Cup record shared by legendary skier Ingemar Stenmark, achieving her 155th podium finish across both men’s and women’s categories.
Upon completing her run, Shiffrin gazed at the scoreboard displaying her victory, initially unable to comprehend the significance of her achievement. With a mixture of disbelief and joy, she turned to her side, overwhelmed by the moment. After lying in the snow and holding her helmet with gratitude, she received support from Moltzan, who embraced her in celebration.
In her post-race reflections, Shiffrin became emotional when discussing the journey leading up to this day. “The support I’ve received has been incredible, and I’m genuinely thankful,” she expressed, emphasizing that the victory was a bright spot amidst a challenging past few months. There had been moments when she questioned whether returning to the slopes was the right decision after a disappointing 10th place finish in a slalom event in Courchevel, France, earlier in January.
Shiffrin recorded her 99th win three months prior during a slalom event held in Gurgl, Austria. However, her quest for number 100 was halted when she suffered a crash in a giant slalom at Killington, Vermont, where she was leading before her unfortunate fall. The injuries sustained from the mishap, including significant trauma to her oblique muscles, forced her off the slopes for several weeks and led to anxiety related to racing in giant slalom events.
Despite her earlier struggles in giant slalom competitions at Sestriere, where she placed 25th on Friday and struggled in the first run the following day, Shiffrin bounced back remarkably with an aggressive performance, finishing half a second faster than Ljutic, who has won three times this season in World Cup slaloms. “For this moment to happen, everything had to align perfectly—and I did my part too,” a tearful Shiffrin remarked shortly after her victory.
With her historical achievement, Shiffrin stands shoulder to shoulder with Stenmark, who also remains a towering figure in the sport. “Her talents surpass mine by a long shot. There’s no comparison,” Stenmark previously stated, reflecting on the significance of her accomplishments. Shiffrin’s remarkable journey saw her surpass Stenmark’s former record of 86 World Cup wins in March 2023, nearly 34 years after Stenmark’s last victory.
Although Shiffrin’s injury hiatus could hinder her chances of adding to her eight career titles in the season-long World Cup slalom standings, she remains a revered figure in alpine skiing. With another two races scheduled for March 9 in Aare, Sweden, and a final event on March 27 in Sun Valley, she sits in sixth place, trailing leader Ljutic by 163 points. “I’m grateful to have been part of this moment today,” remarked a proud Ljutic, acknowledging Shiffrin’s extraordinary journey to her century mark.
Camille Rast, who led standings prior to Sunday as the new world champion, faced an unfortunate early exit as she crashed out just before reaching the finish line in the first run. Meanwhile, Moltzan celebrated her fifth career podium finish in the World Cup alongside her bronze medal from a recent championship event, after which she plans to enjoy some well-deserved vacation time in London.
