Mikaela Shiffrin silenced any doubts about her form with a masterful performance at the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup slalom in Levi on November 15, securing her 102nd career World Cup win and her 65th in slalom. The 30-year-old American delivered two flawless runs on the demanding Levi Black course, finishing in a combined time of 1:48.92 – a commanding 1.66 seconds ahead of rising star Lara Colturi of Albania, who marked her 19th birthday with a breakthrough second place. Germany’s Emma Aicher rounded out the podium in third, 2.59 seconds back.
This ninth victory in Levi – a venue Shiffrin now calls “starting to feel more like home” – not only extended her all-time World Cup wins record but also earned her a ninth reindeer from the traditional Ounaskievari Reindeer Farm prize. In an emotional tribute, Shiffrin named the young animal “Winkie” after her mother Eileen’s childhood nickname. “Been a long time coming for my mom to finally get a reindeer in her name,” Shiffrin posted on social media alongside a photo of herself feeding the reindeer.
Yet behind the dominant display lies a story of profound mental and physical resilience. After a challenging 2024-25 season disrupted by injuries – including a serious crash in Killington and lingering effects from a prior Cortina incident – Shiffrin has been candid about the psychological hurdles she faced returning to the gates.
“I trusted the training I did with my team over the summer – we did really good work,” Shiffrin said post-race. “The final step was mentality and pushing. It was really nice to race today and feel strong again.”
The win serves as a powerful statement ahead of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympics, where Shiffrin aims to add to her two gold medals. Drawing strength from her family – including mother and longtime coach Eileen – and a renewed focus on joy in skiing, Shiffrin reminded the world why she remains the undisputed queen of slalom.
Her growing Lapland herd, now including Rudolph, Sven, Mr. Gru, Ingemar, Sunny, Lorax, Grogu, Rori, and Winkie, stands as living symbols of her enduring legacy under the Arctic lights.
