Mikaela Shiffrin’s Historic 100th World Cup Win
Mikaela Shiffrin has undeniably secured her place as one of the greatest athletes in the history of the skiing World Cup.
On Sunday, she celebrated her record-breaking 100th career World Cup victory, a moment that marked the end of a challenging journey following a serious accident in November.
Competing in her favored slalom event, Shiffrin maintained her lead from the first run, finishing 0.61 seconds ahead of Zrinka Ljutic. Her U.S. teammate Paula Moltzan took third place.
With this historic win, Shiffrin matched an all-time World Cup record, achieving her 155th career top-3 finish to tie with Swedish skiing legend Ingemar Stenmark.
Upon crossing the finish line, Shiffrin took a moment to absorb her victory, gazing at the scoreboard in amazement. After lying in the snow for a moment, overwhelmed, she was assisted to her feet by Moltzan, who embraced her in celebration.
In an emotional post-race interview, Shiffrin fought back tears when reflecting on her tumultuous journey over the past few months. “Everyone has been so kind and supportive. I’m incredibly grateful, thank you,” she expressed.
Shiffrin earned her 99th victory precisely three months prior in a slalom race at Gurgl, Austria.
Her milestone 100th win seemed within reach shortly after, but a mishap during a giant slalom at Killington, Vermont, forced her into an early exit while leading the first run.
The injuries sustained from that fall—severe trauma to her oblique muscles along with a deep puncture wound—resulted in a lengthy recovery period and left her with “PTSD-like” anxiety about competing in giant slalom events.
During her recent races at Sestriere, Shiffrin placed 25th in one giant slalom and fell short of the top 30 in the first run of another, marking the first time since 2012 that she had not qualified among the fastest competitors.
Alongside Stenmark, Shiffrin is among the most remarkable record-holders in the 58-year history of the World Cup, having surpassed his record of 86 wins in March 2023—over three decades after Stenmark’s last triumph.
