Mikaela Shiffrin secured a dominant victory in the final World Cup slalom race before the upcoming Olympics, demonstrating a return to her peak form. The win occurred in Špindlerův Mlýn, Czech Republic, marking a significant moment as it was also the site of her first-ever World Cup event in 2011.
Shiffrin completed the two runs in 1 minute, 37.59 seconds, a 1.67-second lead over her nearest competitor. This represents her largest margin of victory this season and her seventh win in eight slaloms. Switzerland’s Camille Rast finished second, while Germany’s Emma Aicher took third place, 2.18 seconds behind Shiffrin. Shiffrin posted the fastest time in both runs, establishing a 1.26-second lead after the first.
Shiffrin’s victory extended her record to 108 career World Cup victories, surpassing Ingemar Stenmark’s previous record of 87. Of those wins, 71 have been in slalom, more than any other Alpine skier besides Stenmark and Lindsey Vonn. The win also secured the slalom crystal globe—the award for the season’s overall winner in the discipline—for a ninth time. She is currently the overall World Cup leader.
Prior to Sunday’s win, Shiffrin had a close race in Flachau, Austria, where she narrowly defeated teammate Paula Moltzan. She recently returned to the podium in giant slalom, her first appearance since an injury in November 2024. Liv Moritz was the only other American to finish in the top 15 on Sunday, earning her first World Cup points with a 13th-place finish.
Shiffrin is considered the clear favorite for the gold medal in slalom at the upcoming Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. She plans to focus on her strongest events, including the team combined event, giant slalom, and slalom. Having previously aimed to medal in all six events at the Beijing Olympics but facing setbacks, Shiffrin expressed a desire to approach the Games with a positive mindset and trust in her team.
One women’s Alpine World Cup event remains before the Olympics: a downhill and a super-G next weekend in Crans Montana, Switzerland.
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