Mikaela Shiffrin, the alpine skiing icon with a record 101 World Cup victories, celebrated a significant milestone at the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season opener in Sölden, Austria, finishing fourth in the women’s giant slalom. The result, her best in the discipline in 21 months, marked a triumphant step in her recovery from a traumatic crash last November, with the U.S. Ski Team shining brightly as teammates Paula Moltzan and Nina O’Brien claimed second and sixth places, respectively.
Starting from bib 20—a reflection of her struggles in giant slalom last season—Shiffrin posted a combined time of 2:17.93, placing sixth after the first run before climbing two spots in the second. Austria’s Julia Scheib clinched her first career World Cup win with a time of 2:16.51, while Moltzan’s second-place finish (+0.58 seconds) tied her career best, and O’Brien’s sixth place underscored the U.S. team’s depth. Switzerland’s Lara Gut-Behrami took third (+1.11 seconds).
“It’s huge,” Shiffrin said post-race, beaming with pride. “Every single part of today was such a monumental step.” The 2018 Olympic giant slalom champion, who holds the women’s record with 22 World Cup GS wins, has been working to rebuild her confidence in the discipline following a devastating crash on November 30, 2024, at Killington, Vermont. Leading after the first run, Shiffrin’s second descent ended in a violent tumble, resulting in a puncture wound to her abdomen and severe muscle trauma. The injury, coupled with lingering post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), disrupted her season, with only a 25th-place finish and two non-scoring results in her subsequent GS races.
The Sölden performance was a stark contrast to last season’s challenges. Shiffrin’s last GS victory came in December 2023 in Lienz, Austria, followed by a podium in Jasna, Slovakia, in January 2024—days before a separate downhill crash on the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympic course. Her fifth-place finish at last year’s Sölden opener was her only notable GS result before the Killington incident derailed her momentum, costing her a top seeding and forcing her to start further back in the field.
Far from discouraged, Shiffrin found motivation in the challenge. “Starting bib 20, I can climb up the ranks. It’s like when I started racing on the World Cup—it’s that same excitement,” she said, recalling her early career days. The result, while short of the podium, felt like a personal victory. “I’m fourth and I’m over the moon,” Shiffrin added. “It’s a really good step, and I have improvements to make.”
Moltzan, who shared the podium celebration with Shiffrin, praised her resilience. “Mikaela was a bit scared of GS last season, so to see her come back with such a solid result is pretty awesome,” Moltzan said. “The mental game in ski racing is huge.” Shiffrin echoed the sentiment, noting the difficulty of competing on Sölden’s demanding, dark, and bumpy course while fighting for points to reclaim her place among the elite.
The U.S. team’s collective success added to the day’s joy, with Shiffrin taking to social media to express gratitude: “The support and kindness… have been overwhelming (in the best way)… Sharing this with teammates and especially on the podium with Paula Moltzan was truly unforgettable.” She also acknowledged Croatia’s Zrinka Ljutić, who finished fifth.
With the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics just over three months away, Shiffrin’s Sölden performance signals a promising start to her season. Her focus remains on slalom and giant slalom, with potential super-G appearances, as she aims for redemption after a medal-less Beijing 2022. Her next races are slaloms in Levi, Finland, on November 15, and Gurgl, Austria, the following week, where she hopes to build on her 56 career slalom wins.
As Shiffrin looks ahead, her Sölden result is a beacon of progress. “It’s going to be hard to catch up to the top girls like Julia and Paula—they’re skiing so well,” she said. “But I’m excited to be in this position.” With her trademark determination and a revitalized spirit, Shiffrin’s journey back to the top of giant slalom is off to a powerful start.
