Mikaela Shiffrin reminded the world why Levi is her kingdom. The American superstar powered through the first run of the 2025/26 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup slalom opener, posting a near-perfect time that left the field gasping — 1.49 seconds ahead of the nearest challenger after the top 15 athletes completed their descent.
With bib 3, Shiffrin attacked the 62-gate Levi Black course with ruthless precision, blending explosive speed on the upper pitch with surgical rhythm through the rutted lower section. Her dominance was immediate and undeniable. “She’s in a class of her own,” said one FIS commentator as Shiffrin crossed the line. And the numbers back it up: in 16 Levi slalom appearances since 2012, Shiffrin has 8 wins, 5 additional podiums, and only once finished outside the top 10.
Colturi Emerges as Best of the Rest
The brightest spark behind Shiffrin came from 19-year-old Lara Colturi (bib 12), representing Albania under Liechtenstein colors. The teenage phenom charged into second place, just 1.08 seconds back — a career-best World Cup slalom result that signals her arrival on the elite stage. Germany’s Lena Dürr, a two-time Levi medalist, held third at +1.49, matching Shiffrin’s exact gap to the lead.
Switzerland’s Wendy Holdener, starting with bib 1, kept herself firmly in podium contention. After 30 racers had started, the veteran sat in 7th intermediate at +1.92, well within striking distance for the second run. Teammate Mélanie Meillard slotted into 11th (+2.03), narrowly ahead of reigning world slalom champion Camille Rast in 14th (+2.33). Another Swiss, Eliane Christen, struggled to 27th, over four seconds off the pace.
American Depth on Display
Beyond Shiffrin, the U.S. showed strength: Paula Moltzan in 12th and AJ Hurt in 18th, while 19-year-old debutante Annika Hunt safely advanced in 45th.
Second Run: 13:00 CET (1:00 PM WAT)
With ideal early-season snow — firm, fast, and grippy under clear Arctic skies — the stage is set for high drama. Shiffrin will ski last in the reverse-order second run at 13:00 CET (1:00 PM WAT), giving her the luxury of watching the field try to close an almost insurmountable gap.
For fans in Nigeria, that’s just 1 hour and 45 minutes from now — perfect time to tune in via FIS TV, the FIS app, or Eurosport.
Can Colturi or Holdener pull off a miracle? Or will Shiffrin ski to her ninth Levi victory — and 102nd World Cup win — with another reindeer in tow?
