As the chill of the Finnish Lapland sets in, the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup turns its spotlight to Levi for the season’s inaugural women’s slalom on Saturday, November 15. Leading the charge is American superstar Mikaela Shiffrin, the two-time Olympic champion who enters the race with her sights set on etching her name further into the record books with a potential 102nd career victory—and her 65th in slalom.
Now in her 16th World Cup campaign, the 30-year-old Shiffrin arrives fresh off a strong showing in the season-opening giant slalom in Sölden, Austria. Slalom remains her undisputed domain, where she has secured eight Crystal Globe titles, including last season’s triumph. Of her 101 World Cup podium-toppers to date, 64 have come in this technical discipline, a testament to her unparalleled precision on tight, twisting courses like Levi’s infamous Black Levi slope.
Shiffrin’s history at Levi is nothing short of legendary. The resort has yielded eight victories for the Colorado native across her career, each accompanied by the quirky tradition of a prize reindeer—now totaling eight animals grazing on a nearby farm. “Levi has been a second home for me,” Shiffrin reflected in a pre-race interview. “The energy here, the course, the crowd—it’s always special.” Her most recent Levi conquest came last March, capping a resilient return from a mid-season injury that sidelined her for several weeks.
With longtime rival Petra Vlhová of Slovakia still recovering from a January 2024 knee injury, the path to the podium appears clearer for Shiffrin. Yet challengers abound. Croatia’s Zrinka Ljutić, the defending slalom Crystal Globe holder, enters as the form athlete after three wins last season. Switzerland’s Camille Rast, with two victories of her own, and Austria’s Katharina Liensberger, the Beijing 2022 slalom silver medalist, round out the elite field hungry to dethrone the queen.
The U.S. Ski Team brings depth to the start list, boasting a robust women’s contingent. Slalom specialist Paula Moltzan, fresh off a runner-up finish in Sölden’s giant slalom, leads the charge alongside Nina O’Brien, AJ Hurt, Elisabeth Bocock, Liv Moritz, and Katie Hensien. Nineteen-year-old Annika Hunt adds excitement as she makes her World Cup debut, embodying the next generation of American talent.
Race Schedule and Viewing Guide
The action unfolds on Saturday with two runs on the demanding Levi Black course, where precision and speed collide amid the Arctic backdrop. Times are local (EET, UTC+2) and subject to weather-related changes:
Run 1: 11:00 a.m. EET (4:00 a.m. ET / 9:00 a.m. GMT)
Run 2: 2:00 p.m. EET (7:00 a.m. ET / 12:00 p.m. GMT)
Award Ceremony: Approximately 3:45 p.m. EET
Fans worldwide can catch every gate drop live. In the United States, NBC Sports and Peacock Premium provide comprehensive coverage, streaming both runs from 4:00 a.m. ET onward. International viewers can tune into Eurosport’s platforms across Europe, while the official FIS website offers free live streams via SkiandSnowboard.live and OutsideOnline.com. For those in Finland and select Nordic countries, Yle broadcasts the event nationally.
This Levi showdown isn’t just a race—it’s a tone-setter for an era-shaping season, with the 2026 Winter Olympics on the horizon. As Shiffrin straps in for her bid at history, the question lingers: Will the reindeer farm welcome a ninth resident? One thing’s certain: the slalom opener promises edge-of-your-seat drama on the snow.
