Under the shimmering veil of the northern lights, the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup slalom season officially launched its bib draw ceremony Friday evening at Levi’s Zero Point arena, setting the stage for a pivotal women’s showdown on the iconic Levi Black slope. Mikaela Shiffrin, the American slalom maestro with a record eight victories at this Lapland venue, pulled Bib 3 – a strategic mid-pack position that offers her the chance to gauge early course conditions while leveraging her unparalleled precision on the technical terrain.
The public draw, attended by hundreds of fans braving the sub-zero chill, blended festive Lapland tradition with high-stakes anticipation. As the names echoed across the Arctic Circle amphitheater, cheers erupted for Shiffrin’s number, with supporters waving U.S. flags and chanting her name. A viral clip from the Shiffrin Fans Instagram account, shared widely on social media, captured the moment: “BIB DRAW IN LEVI, FINLAND 🇫🇮 And now it’s time to race slalom! Good luck @MikaelaShiffrin ❤️,” accompanied by heart emojis and the hashtag #mikaelashiffrin. The post, viewed thousands of times within hours, underscored the global fervor surrounding the 30-year-old’s quest for a ninth reindeer trophy – a symbolic prize unique to Levi winners.
Shiffrin, entering with 101 career World Cup wins (64 in slalom), flashed a confident smile post-draw. “Bib 3 feels perfect – not too early to chase a clean line, not too late to feel the pressure build,” she told reporters. “Levi’s where the magic happens. I’m locked in for tomorrow.” Her optimism stems from a strong preseason, including a fourth-place giant slalom finish in Sölden, and a summer regimen honed for the demanding Olympic cycle leading to Milano-Cortina 2026.
Start List Spotlights: Youth vs. Experience in Arctic Spotlight
The draw favored consistency with Sweden’s Anna Swenn Larsson securing pole position (Bib 1), her steady top-10 form making her a safe early benchmark. Croatia’s Zrinka Ljutić, the defending slalom Crystal Globe champion who eclipsed Shiffrin mid-last season, nabbed Bib 2, positioning her to set an aggressive tone. “This is our moment,” Ljutić said, eyes on dethroning the veteran. Switzerland’s Camille Rast, the 2025 world slalom champion, drew Bib 4 after a stellar year with two podiums and a third-place Globe finish. At 26, Rast’s blend of fluidity and fortitude positions her as a dark horse for the podium, building on her career-best fifth in Levi last season.
The field bristles with threats: Bib 5 went to Switzerland’s Wendy Holdener, a Levi specialist chasing her first win here; Bib 6 to Austria’s Katharina Liensberger, a four-time Levi podium finisher; and Bib 7 to Germany’s Lena Dürr, last year’s third-placer. Shiffrin’s Bib 3 slots her just behind, followed by U.S. teammate Paula Moltzan (Bib 9, fresh off a Sölden GS podium) and Canada’s Laurence St-Germain (Bib 10). North American depth shines with eight women in the top 60 slalom standings last season, including debutante Annika Hunt (Bib 60) and others like AJ Hurt and Elisabeth Bocock.
Notably absent is Slovakia’s Petra Vlhová, sidelined until mid-season after a 20-month recovery from injury, amplifying the spotlight on the Ljutić-Rast duo as harbingers of a generational shift.
Weekend Program: From Gates to Reindeer Glory
Levi’s extravaganza fuses elite competition with Sami-inspired festivities. Saturday’s women’s slalom fires off at 11:00 CET (4:00 a.m. ET) for the first run, with the second at 14:00 CET (7:00 a.m. ET), broadcast live on Peacock, Outside TV, and the FIS app in the U.S., and Eurosport/Discovery+ in Europe. The awards ceremony follows at approximately 15:45 CET, where the winner claims their reindeer – Shiffrin’s potential ninth, named after a fan-voted Lapland legend.
The evening features a public bib draw for Sunday’s men’s slalom at 19:00 CET, capped by the World Cup After Party at Hullu Poro Arena with a Black Devils tribute to Finnish rock icons Hurriganes. Sunday’s men’s race mirrors the schedule (11:00 and 14:00 CET), but the women’s outcome could ripple through Olympic qualifiers.
As Shiffrin eyes her 102nd career win, Levi whispers of transitions. Last season’s injury hurdles tested her, but renewed focus on strength and versatility signals a deeper Olympic push. “Slalom is my heartbeat, but the bigger picture drives me,” she reflected. FIS officials dub this “an era-defining starter,” with early points fueling narratives of dominance versus disruption.
In Lapland’s frozen embrace, as gates loom and fans’ well-wishes echo – “Good luck Mikaela Shiffrin ❤️❤️” – the slalom soul awakens. Will Shiffrin’s reindeer herd grow, or will the Arctic winds herald new queens? The answer drops Saturday, under lights that never fully fade.
