Shiffrin ends injury-plagued season on a high note with 97th career victory

The U.S. Ski Team on Saturday issued the following press release on Mikaela Shiffrin of Edwards ending her season with a slalom win at the World Cup Finals — the record-extending 97th win of her remarkable career:

In the final slalom race of the 2023-24 season on Saturday, March 16, Mikaela Shiffrin earned her 97th career World Cup victory and was officially awarded her record-equaling eighth slalom Crystal Globe. 

After missing six weeks of racing due to an injury sustained in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy in January, Shiffrin came to win, once again flaunting her slalom prowess with victory 96 in Are, Sweden. She backed that up on Saturday with yet another slalom win at World Cup Finals in Saalbach, Austria, closing the season in spectacular fashion. 

“It is incredible,” Shiffrin reflected on her 97th career victory. “It’s a lot of work for the whole team. Situations like this, for me, with this season, you have to rely on the people around you supporting you so much. It’s always that way, but when you’re trying to come back from an injury, and it’s kind of a rush, and it’s stressful, and it’s important for everyone… It just shows even more how important the support system around me is working, and I’m so grateful for it. I’m so happy to have these final two races, which is giving us something to be really proud of going into the prep season.” 

Warm temperatures and soft snow created challenging conditions for all of the athletes on Saturday, and was a battle for the race organizers to keep the track firm. Despite several DNFs, Shiffrin, who was sitting in second coming into her final run of the day, was able to turn on the heat and take the win ahead of Norway’s Mina Fuerst Holtmann in second, .54 seconds off of Shiffrin, and Sweden’s Anna Swenn Larsson in third, .63 off the pace. 

It was a season to remember. Shiffrin grabbed her 16th career Crystal Globe and had nine World Cup victories and 15 World Cup podiums this season across three disciplines. Saturday’s win brings her slalom win tally to 60 victories and 152 podiums. There were highs and lows, and Shiffrin now looks ahead to the 2024-25 prep period. 

Paula Moltzan also started in Saturday’s slalom and skied a solid seventh-place first run within striking distance of the podium. She was having a blazing fast second run, leading the second split by .55, when she straddled and did an acrobatic recovery to stay on her feet. Thankfully, she is OK and will start in Sunday’s giant slalom. 

The World Cup Finals will continue on Sunday with a women’s giant slalom race, followed by a speed weekend featuring downhill and super-G. 

RESULTS
Women’s slalom

HOW TO WATCH 

March 17
3:00 a.m. – women’s giant slalom, run 1 – Peacock
4:30 a.m. – men’s slalom, run 1 – Peacock
6:00 a.m. – women’s giant slalom, run 2 – Peacock
7:30 a.m. – women’s slalom, run 2 – Peacock 

March 22
5:00 a.m. – women’s super-G – Peacock 
6:30 a.m. – men’s super-G – Peacock 

March 23
5:15 a.m. – women’s downhill – Peacock

March 24
5:15 a.m. – men’s downhill – Peacock