The Arctic Circle is about to witness a full-blown lockdown, and no one is complaining. Mikaela Shiffrin, the undisputed Queen of Slalom, touches down in Levi this Friday ready to reclaim her throne on the legendary Levi Black slope in what promises to be the most electrifying weekend of the early 2025/26 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season.
Fresh off a calculated season opener in Sölden where she reminded the world she’s still the benchmark in giant slalom (4th place despite limited prep), Shiffrin now returns to the venue where she owns the record books. Six Levi slalom victories. Six reindeer plushies (including the internet’s favorite, little Grogu). Zero losses since 2019. The numbers speak for themselves, but the 30-year-old American is hungrier than ever.
“This hill just fits me,” Shiffrin told reporters after a crisp training session Monday under the flickering Northern Lights. “The rhythm, the steep pitch at the top, the way the snow grips—it’s like coming home.”
Home is exactly what Levi has become for ski fans worldwide. Every November, the tiny Finnish resort transforms into skiing’s version of Super Bowl weekend. Over 25,000 spectators are expected to pack the finish area, braving sub-zero temperatures just to watch Shiffrin thread gates at 70 km/h while somehow making it look effortless.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. A seventh Levi win would tie Shiffrin with Ingemar Stenmark for most World Cup victories at a single venue—an absurd statistic that even had Stenmark himself sending a congratulatory video message during last year’s ceremony. More importantly, a dominant performance would silence any lingering questions about her form after last season’s injury-marred campaign and send a crystal-clear message to rivals Petra Vlhová, Anna Swenn Larsson, and rising Swiss star Wendy Holdener: the crown is not up for grabs.
Off the snow, the Shiffrin story remains pure gold for fans. Fiancé Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, still sidelined as he completes his remarkable comeback from a devastating 2024 crash, is expected to be in the finish area wrapped in a Norway jacket, cheering louder than anyone. The couple’s heartwarming sideline moments have already racked up 2.3 million TikTok views this week alone.
Race schedule (local time, UTC+2):
• Friday, Nov 15 – Slalom Run 1: 10:00 | Run 2: 13:00
• Saturday, Nov 16 – Slalom Run 1: 10:00 | Run 2: 13:00
One thing is certain: when the floodlights switch on and the first notes of AC/DC blast through the speakers Friday morning, the ski world will be locked in. Mikaela Shiffrin doesn’t just race in Levi—she owns it. And this weekend, the internet is about to remember why.
