COURCHEVEL, France — Mikaela Shiffrin marked her return from injury with a 10th-place finish in a World Cup slalom event on Thursday evening, where Croatian skier Zrinka Ljutic showcased an impressive performance to secure the win under the floodlights in Courchevel.
Ljutic, just 21 years old, has shown significant prowess in slalom, claiming victory in three of the last four races and finishing this one 1.26 seconds ahead of Sweden’s Sara Hector, with Germany’s Lena Duerr finishing just behind her, 1.28 seconds off the pace.
Shiffrin finished with a time that placed her 2.04 seconds behind Ljutic. The American, who is on a quest for her record-extending 100th World Cup victory, was in fifth position following her first run on the Stade Emile Allais course but struggled to find her rhythm during both runs.
“I didn’t come into this race expecting that I was going to win,” Shiffrin admitted. “I need to reach my top performance level. Now, we move forward from here.”
The two-time Olympic gold medalist had sustained injuries from a crash during a giant slalom event in Killington, Vermont, on November 30, which required her to undergo a surgical procedure to address a puncture wound a few weeks later.
Before competing in this race, Shiffrin emphasized that her main goal was to prioritize her recovery rather than rush to achieve the milestone of 100 wins.
“Participating in this race was a crucial part of my recovery, helping me gauge how I measure up against the world’s top skiers and what I need to work on to enhance my skills,” Shiffrin said. “It was also essential to get this competitive experience before the world championships.”
With the world championships set to take place next month in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, Shiffrin is looking forward to competing in both giant slalom and slalom events, saying, “I definitely want to focus on both GS and slalom. Everything will depend on how training goes over the next 10 days.”
Shiffrin’s previous 99 World Cup victories include an impressive 62 wins in slalom. After finishing her second run, she cupped her hands and waved to the audience.
No other skier, male or female, has logged more than 86 World Cup wins, and after surpassing the legendary Ingemar Stenmark, Shiffrin is now just one podium finish shy of matching Stenmark’s record of 155 podium finishes. However, she acknowledged she was not yet at a point to achieve that goal.
“It was definitely a challenge, and the women at the top are skiing exceptionally well,” Shiffrin remarked. “I am thrilled to be back competing with them and hope to improve my speed in the coming weeks.”
As she aimed for her seventh consecutive slalom victory, Shiffrin was the sixth skier to compete as the evening light started to fade. Her performance was steady throughout, particularly in the latter part of the course, where she gained time but ultimately finished behind Ljutic, who led with a time of 51.88 seconds during the first leg.
“I plan to review the video from my first run; I felt like my timing or rhythm was slightly off, preventing me from tackling the course effectively,” Shiffrin explained. “There were highlights with some great turns, but also some slower segments.”
After completing her runs, Shiffrin embraced Ljutic, who was still in the leader’s chair, a moment filled with gratitude as the young Croatian expressed disbelief at her dominating win.
“I’m living the dream now so don’t wake me up,” Ljutic said, soaking in her success.
Conversely, Swiss skier Wendy Holdener, who was in second place after the first run, stumbled early in her second run and failed to finish.
Austrian Katharina Liensberger claimed fourth place, while Swiss racer Camille Rast, who previously won in Flachau, placed fifth in this event.
Current world slalom champion Laurence St-Germain of Canada did not advance to the second run, finishing in 36th place, nearly three seconds behind Ljutic.
Rast currently leads the slalom standings with 450 points, followed closely by Ljutic at 409, while Shiffrin holds a ninth-place position with 226 points. Italian skier Federica Brignone tops the overall World Cup standings, with Shiffrin currently positioned in 17th.
