Lagos ski squad, wake up—it’s 4 DAYS until alpine queen Mikaela Shiffrin storms the Levi Black slopes in Finland for her first slalom of the 2025-26 season! On November 15 (gates drop at 10:00 CET / 11:00 AM WAT), the American GOAT could snag her 98th World Cup win and kick off the Olympic year with a bang. After a brutal injury comeback, engagement glow, and Taylor Swift wedding dreams, this isn’t just a race—it’s a fairy tale on ice. Who’s ready to watch history? 
From Crash Nightmare to Comeback Queen: Shiffrin’s Fire
Remember November 2024? Shiffrin was dominating Killington’s giant slalom—leading after run one, eyeing win #100—when disaster struck. A freak tumble left her with a puncture wound to her abdomen, requiring emergency surgery on December 12. “Luck and centimeters,” she called it, sidelined for two months with muscle trauma and zero guarantees.
Fast-forward: She crushed a 10th-place return in Courchevel slalom (Jan 30, 2025), snagged slalom gold at Worlds in Saalbach (Feb 2025), and ended the prior season with 101 total wins—64 in slalom alone, an untouchable record. Now? “I’m psyched—excited and energized,” Mikaela posted from pre-season training in Chile and Argentina. No pain, full strength, and that signature precision locked in. Levi? She’s won there seven times—her happy hunting ground.
