American alpine skiing icon Mikaela Shiffrin delivered a solid performance in the opening run of the women’s giant slalom at the 2025/26 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season premiere on Saturday, securing sixth place with a time of 1:20.20 as the field heads into the decisive second run.
The 30-year-old Shiffrin, competing in her 16th World Cup season, clocked her effort on the challenging Rettenbach glacier course under crisp autumn conditions, trailing early leader Federica Brignone of Italy by 0.78 seconds. Brignone set the benchmark at 1:19.42, with Switzerland’s Lara Gut-Behrami in second at 1:19.65 (+0.23) and France’s Tessa Worley rounding out the provisional podium in third at 1:19.72 (+0.30).
Shiffrin’s bib number 20 – a nod to her status as the highest-ranked technical skier from the previous season – saw her navigate the 60 gates with characteristic precision, though she noted minor adjustments needed in her post-run comments. “The course is demanding, and I felt good overall, but there’s room to shave off a bit in the steeps,” Shiffrin said via team broadcast. “Starting higher up the order means cleaner lines for those ahead, so sixth feels like a strong launch point.”
The result marks a promising return for Shiffrin following a injury-plagued 2024/25 campaign that included a severe crash in Killington and a subsequent two-month hiatus. She enters the season chasing a record-tying sixth overall World Cup crystal globe, currently held jointly with Austria’s Annemarie Moser-Pröll, while eyeing redemption at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics after a medal-less Beijing Games in 2022.
Other Americans in the field showed mixed form: Paula Moltzan sat 12th at +1.05, while newcomer Hannah Perkins debuted in 28th (+1.92). The U.S. Ski & Snowboard team emphasized Shiffrin’s refined training regimen, which has her focusing primarily on slalom and giant slalom events leading into the Games, with selective super-G appearances to build speed confidence.
The second run is scheduled for 13:00 local time (7:00 ET), with Shiffrin set to start around 13:35 based on reverse order. Live coverage airs on NBC and Peacock in the U.S., with full results expected to shape early narratives in a season stacked with 20 technical races.
As the two-time Olympic champion launches what could be her most targeted campaign yet, all eyes remain on whether Shiffrin can channel her experience into another dominant run – or if the field’s rising stars will challenge her throne.
