American skiing sensation Mikaela Shiffrin has further cemented her legendary status by securing her record-extending 103rd Alpine skiing World Cup victory with a dominant slalom performance in Gurgl, Austria, on Sunday.
Dominant Display on Austrian Slopes
The 30-year-old Olympic champion delivered another masterclass in slalom skiing, making it two consecutive wins this season in the discipline. Shiffrin's triumph marks her third straight World Cup slalom victory, having also won the final event of last season.
Shiffrin established her dominance early, posting the fastest time in the first leg and finishing 1.23 seconds clear of her nearest rival. Her commanding performance demonstrated why she remains the athlete to beat ahead of February's Winter Olympics, where she represents one of the United States' strongest gold medal prospects.
Familiar Podium Finish
The podium replicated both last year's result in Gurgl and the season's opening slalom in Levi, Finland. Lara Colturi, the 19-year-old Albanian skier and daughter of Italian Olympic champion Daniela Ceccarelli, claimed second place, while Switzerland's reigning world champion Camille Rast completed the top three.
"I had to push so hard but it was really nice with the sun on the second run," Shiffrin commented after her victory. "Last year I remember it was so dark so this was a really nice surprise. The conditions were pretty much exactly how I expected - not easy, but I knew the others were pushing so there's no choice, you have to go."
This remarkable win adds to Shiffrin's unprecedented record in the discipline, bringing her total to 66 World Cup slalom victories, more than any other skier in history.
Looking Ahead to Home Comforts
The American star now looks forward to competing on home soil, with the women's technical circuit moving to Copper Mountain, Colorado, later this month. "I have to get some giant slalom training again and I'm really excited to go to Copper," Shiffrin revealed. "I'll stay in my own bed for the first time during the season."
While Shiffrin celebrated another milestone victory, there was disappointment for some of her rivals. Croatia's Zrinka Ljutic, last season's slalom crystal globe winner, straddled a gate on her second run, while Austria's Beijing 2022 Olympic silver medallist Katharina Liensberger failed to finish the first run.
Colturi expressed surprise at her second consecutive podium finish, admitting: "The snow was really soft and when I saw it, I had a first inspection and I thought 'ah, it's probably not my day.'" The young skier's performance in her 60th World Cup race suggests a promising future in the sport.
