Shiffrin Sets Career Giant Slalom Record

US star also passes Lindsey Vonn on podium finishes
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Mar 19, 2023 9:50 AM CDT
Shiffrin Sets Career Giant Slalom Record
Mikaela Shiffrin of the US holds up the alpine ski, women's World Cup giant slalom discipline trophy in Soldeu, Andorra, on Sunday.   (Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone via AP)

Mikaela Shiffrin won her 21st career giant slalom at the World Cup Finals on Sunday as the American standout ended the season with yet another record. The victory in Soldeu, Andorra, moved Shiffrin past Vreni Schneider, a week after matching the Swiss skier's mark of 20 World Cup GS victories. The American has won seven of the last eight events and took the GS world title last month, the AP reports. The overall record, between men and women, is held by Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark, who won 46 giant slaloms in the 1970s and '80s.

"I don't know, you guys tell me," Shiffrin said with a laugh when she was asked about possible next records in a course-side interview, conducted by Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, her boyfriend and World Cup downhill champion. "Just keep moving right along,” added Shiffrin, who secured the overall, slalom and GS titles this season and extended the all-time record for most career wins to 88. Shiffrin also set a personal best of 2,206 World Cup points from 31 starts this season, two points more than her tally from 2018-19, when she competed in 26 races. Only one skier secured more points in a single season: Slovenian great Tina Maze ended her 2012-13 campaign on 2,414.

Sunday's result also marked Shiffrin's record 138th career World Cup podium, moving her one ahead of former teammate Lindsey Vonn's mark of 137. But for Shiffrin, her personal favorite record came nine years ago. "Honestly, I think probably being the youngest Olympic slalom champion. That was really the only record that I actually ever wanted, like really shot for," said Shiffrin, who was 18 when she won her first Olympic gold at the 2014 Sochi Games. She said she still had butterflies before competing Sunday. "I was so nervous at the start ... because you want to do well," Shiffrin said. "And it doesn't matter about records, it’s just you want to do well."

(More Mikaela Shiffrin stories.)

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